


Unavoidable part one

by skookumandstories



Series: Unavoidable [2]
Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M, Ten Years Later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:35:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 43,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skookumandstories/pseuds/skookumandstories
Summary: Ten years after the end of the twilight series, Renesmee and Jacob are living happily on the reservation and have started a family of their own. This story centers around their son Elijah Cullen-Black and his journey of finding his imprint. It is primarily romantic  (be warned, children)
Relationships: Jacob Black/Renesmee Cullen
Series: Unavoidable [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1925530
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there readers! Hope you are having a lovely day. I won't let this drag on for too long. just laying down some groundwork. This story will be told from multiple perspectives but mostly Elijahs and his imprints. There will be a little bit of Jacob and Renesmee fluff, but they are more supporting characters in this story. Enjoy! Lots of love is being sent your way!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Twilight or anything having to do with Twilight! I am simply a fan

-Elijah-  
It had been a long day.  
Recently everyday kind of felt like the longest day of Elijah's life.  
He had pressure from his dad To step up and take on his duties as second in the pack Now that his older sister Izzy had moved To Alaska to spend time with their grandparents And To learn all the things she would have learned in medical school from Grandpa Carlisle Instead. Of course, their parents had begged her not to go, but she argued that since they wouldn't let her go to medical school in person for fear that she would arouse suspicion, they at least owed her the courtesy of letting her pursue her passion using an alternative route.

On top of that, his job at the bar was exhausting and although he didn't mind the work, he hated having to break up bar fights every night. Not a shift went by that he didn't have to watch some drunk bastard coming up to Some sweet girl and pawing at her like she was his favorite childhood stuffed animal. Most of the time he could swallow his animalistic instinct to protect anything that couldn't protect itself and he Would just watch as security or his manager took care of it. But tonight had been especially bad. Around 10 a girl had walked in and sat down at the bar. She was pretty, tall blonde, with a nice face and big brown eyes. He'd offered her a smile as he did with every customer, and ask her what she wanted to drink. she'd ordered a martini with one Olive and sat down to wait. about an hour later her friend had joined her and they were both sitting at the bar laughing drinking their drinks and having a grand old time. he was in the process of making a Moscow Mule when her friend got a text 

"oh my gosh! Linda you aren't going to believe this.. ." said her friend, slurring her words, her face flushed from all the laughing, gossiping, and copious amounts of alcohol.

"Believe what? What happened? "said the leggy blond who he now knew was named Linda

"Damian just texted me he wants to see me again! this is so exciting I was hoping he would text me back! " 

"Genevieve, that sounds like a booty call. Is that really what you want? " Linda looked concerned, while her friend was nearly falling out of her chair trying to text this guy back.

"OMG Linda don't be such a buzzkill. I don't think he's in love with me or anything but it couldn't hurt to have a little fun while I'm buzzed but not totally wasted. My inhibitions are lowered just enough not to be offended, but not enough to get myself into a bad situation without knowing it. this is perfect! " her friend was shouting in that voice the girls use when they're trying to convince themselves of something that they know isn't true. you know the one, squeaky, trying to sound light and carefree when in reality it just sounds strained.

"Okay Gen whatever you say but call me in the morning so I know you're okay " Linda was still clearly antsy about the whole thing but her friend would not be dissuaded.

"Will do baby girl! you always keep me on the right track " and with that, her friend teetered out the door and towards her car. 

With a sigh, the blond turned back towards the bar and rested her chin on her hand. She looked up at him and smiled the smile of a young girl with too much responsibility but too much dignity to ask for help. It was a smile he saw far too often around here, I will smile he often donned himself when he was feeling overwhelmed but couldn't do anything about it 

" Do you know someone like that? someone who does everything on a whim goes with their gut 100% of the time? even when it's clearly a poor choice? " she wasn't quite sober enough to know that talking to big strangers in bars was never a good idea. He was just glad she chose to talk to him and not Bronte, the other bartender working that night. Bronte was surly and mean but also the biggest player you’d ever meet. Elijah knew he looked like a player, He’d been hit on at work enough times to know that he was appealing to the opposite sex. But This girl wasn't hitting on him, she just wanted someone to talk to. Her scent was laced with a resigned sort of sadness. 

“I do indeed. But I think that most people who don't think about their actions act that way because they know they could be doing better, they're just stuck in a cycle. Eventually, your friend will change, she might just not be ready quite yet.” he said all of this quietly so that only she could hear him over the God awful zac brown band song playing through the sound system. He made a mental note not to let Bronte choose the soundtrack anymore.  
“ That was pretty wise for a kid your age, you barely look old enough to drink. What are you doing as a bartender?” she asked, slurping up the last of her drink and placing it on the little napkin provided.  
“ It pays better than you’d think. Plus I like being behind a bar, it makes me feel very in charge. And working the night shift means I'm free during the days to help out my family and stuff” He dished out his usual, noncommittal response and she gave him the classic ‘what a nice boy’ look.  
“ Those are very responsible reasons, Don't you ever sleep though? Night shifts are brutal.” He smirked at that  
“ I don’t need a lot of sleep. In fact, most people who know me would say I never sleep at all” It wasn't exactly a lie. Being partially a vampire, he could go weeks with no sleep. But the wolf in him was by far the more dominant, so he did get tired and need to rest occasionally.  
“ That must be nice! Honestly, all this talk of sleep is making me realize just how late it is. I should go. Thanks for the talk!” She handed him the payment for the drink (plus a handsome tip) and started to head towards the door.  
“ Hey, Pretty Mama! Where do you think you're going?” Elijah watched as a wasted hunk of redneck beef stumbled towards Linda, a skeezy smirk plastered on his face. “You haven't even introduced yourself to me and the boys!” He reached for her wrist and she stepped back. “ Oh, you want me to chase you huh? Okay then!” he started towards her and she walked back again.  
“Let me leave. I am going home!” her voice was very steady and Elijah was impressed, although he figured this stuff probably happened to her all the time. The douchebag’s face fell quickly from sleazy drunk to mean predator  
“ Fuck that! We’re here to have some fun! You look like fun to me” He lurched forward towards her but Elijah was faster. He slid over the bar and was in between the man and Linda in seconds. At 6 3” he towered over the red-faced man.  
“ You need to leave” He growled in his deep, smooth voice.  
“ This ain’t none of your business Redskin! Get out of my way”  
The guy was yelling in his face, so close that he could see the spit gathering at the corner of the man's mouth. He’d been called worse things in his life. He took after his father as far as looks went, with dark hair, broad shoulders, and skin like warm, creamy coffee. On the rez where he had lived with his parents he had always felt at home, it was his community and he had never had to worry about what he looked like. But out in the less rural parts of forks, he was a minority. His dad had prepared him for it, and it wasn't that regular of an occurrence, but it still sucked.  
“ Oh, so you're a Sexual predator AND racist. Well, that should make this a lot easier.” and with that, he grabbed the chubby man's throat and lifted him up so that he was looking him in the eyes. “ I said. Leave.” He growled in the man's face. As he spoke he let a little bit of the werewolf in him shine through, His canines elongated and his eyes turned into a luminous yellow.  
“ Holy shit! It’s a mother fucking demon!” His friends yelled and were instantly on their feet, running out the door. “ Get your ass up and run Roy!” one of his buddies yelled to the man that Elijah had thrown to the ground. He didn't need to be told twice. He was gone so fast that Elijah half expected him to leave a cloud of dust behind. He turned back to Linda who was standing behind him looking worried and more than a little confused.  
“Th-th-th-Thank you. I appreciate it” and with that, she left, her bag slung over her shoulder, and her legs trembling.  
Yes. This was why he hated his job.  
He was so stuck in his thoughts that he didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. A car came around the bend up ahead, swerving in the fog and going totally crazy, Elijah looked up just in time to yell  
“ Oh, shit!” before he was hit head-on by a little Mazda 3, and his airbag exploded in his face making his vision go black.


	2. chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note! I am going to try to post at least three or four new chapters every week! so if you enjoyed but felt there wasn't enough, keep checking back in and I will satisfy all your nerdy desires and you can hold me to that!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, Guys and Gals! Just a quick rundown (these will be pretty regular)  
> Elijah is in the hospital which is where he meets Elodie Marksmoore. Romance, butterflies, sex, and heartbreak ensue. You have been warned. Read on! and know that you are loved and you are special.

-Elijah-  
He was completely screwed. For one thing, his parents would KILL him. For another thing, he would have to borrow money for the damages, which meant he would owe them money (he hated owing anyone anything).  
These were the thoughts running through his head as he paced around his hospital room, waiting for the nurse to come back and tell him he could go home. He Had hit his head and cut a huge gash across it, or at least he figured he had from the killer headache that was plaguing him. Of course, by the time he had woken up in the back of an ambulance, the gash had already healed and he was good to go. He didn't remember a lot from the moments after the accident. All he knew for sure was that his car took significantly more damage ( it was totaled ) and that the other car took off before the cops could get there. He had woken up to an EMT’s light shining in his eyes and ten minutes later he had been sitting in a hospital room being told that he seemed fine (miraculously), and now he just wanted to get home.  
“ Mr. Black! Sit down, you hit your head extremely hard and you should not be pacing like that!” The nurse shouted at him in her commanding voice. He sat. “Thank you,” she said, a gracious smile flitting across her face. “ Now Mr. Black, I can’t force you to stay because your tests came back fine and you seem to be unharmed. But I can suggest that you let your body and your mind rest. You’ve been through a great ordeal-” (you have no idea lady) he thought, fighting the urge to smirk. “-And you shouldn't push yourself”  
“Okay, Thank you, I will keep that in mind… Now can I go?” he asked with a hopeful smile  
“ … Yes. Fine, have a peaceful rest of your night Mr. black “  
“ You too-” Before he could reply she was already rushing off towards someone calling frantically for a nurse.  
He let out a breath, Finally, he could go home and this hellish night could end. He had his jacket in hand and was halfway to the doors when his phone buzzed. 

Aunt Alice  
Room 205!! Go to room 205!!

Confused he texted her back… ‘Why?’  
She replied right away ‘ Just trust me’

He sighed. It was rare that his Aunt Alice interfered with people's lives using her gifts unless it was really important. Plus, her visions were never wrong. So if she wanted him in room 205, then that’s probably where he needed to be. He turned on his heel and walked to the nurse's station.  
“ Hi, there! Sorry to bother you but could you point me towards room 205 please?” The nurse, who looked busy and frazzled, snapped her head up at him and pointed down the hall  
“ On your left” she practically spat the words at him, as if he were personally responsible for everything going wrong in her life.  
“Okay, sorry to bother you.” he apologized and then hastily made his way down the hall looking at all the numbers on the doors until he got to 205. He was nervous, but he wasn't sure why. As he drew closer and closer to room 205, his stomach dropped farther and farther down.  
202...203...204….  
He paused in front of the doorway of Room 205. It was open but there was a curtain wrapped around the bed. He wasn't sure what was happening but suddenly it was as if there was a string tied around his heart, and the person behind that curtain was pulling it taught. He took a step. And then he caught a scent, like cinnamon and nutmeg, warm and lovely, It wrapped him up like a shield against all the bullshit he’d had to put up with that night. He let out a sigh, an audible sigh, and then clamped his mouth shut.  
“Hello? Is someone there? Okay, umm I can see your shoes mister. Just letting you know” That voice. It was smooth and strong. Deep enough that it carried a presence and commanded attention. But also feminine and beautiful. He looked down at his feet, sure enough, his blue new balances were sticking out from underneath the hem of the curtain. Well, shit. That was embarrassing. He took a deep breath, Time to see why Alice had sent him down here. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the curtain. He pulled back.  
And time froze.  
He was falling. But he had also never felt more whole and solid.  
He felt his mouth fall open.  
His dad had told him that this was a possibility. And he had always hoped… but he could have never prepared himself for this.  
He felt the world shift. It was as though someone had shown him the right way to open his eyes and suddenly he could see everything more clearly.  
My imprint…My imprint... Holy Shit!! My imprint!  
She was an angel. She was everything he would ever need. She fit into his heart like a key sliding into a lock. He felt like the luckiest man on earth just to be looking at her.  
He stared, and stared, and stared.  
She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. Her eyes were the most amazing shade of forest green, her long, light brown hair looked soft and made him want to run his hands through it, she was tall and thin, with long, strong-looking legs and beautiful, delicate hands. She was clearly caucasian, but her skin was just tan enough to show that she spent a lot of time in the sun. He wanted to touch her, hold her, tell her-  
“ Ummm… Are you okay? You look like you're about to pass out.”  
Her voice shocked him out of his stupor.  
“ I- Uh- well I was just… Umm, I'm not. I don't-... This isn't going well” God he was stupid! His first words to his soulmate and he sounded like he'd just learned how to speak minutes before he'd walked in. To his astonishment and joy, she laughed. It was more of a chuckle. It was hot as Hell.  
“ Did you hit your head? You seem like you may be suffering from a mild concussion.” she joked and smiled at him. He couldn't stop himself from smiling back. He was sure he looked like a total buffoon.  
“ Actually I did. But I'm okay. Or at least I thought I was, now I'm like 80% sure.” He’d managed to get a full sentence out this time. Progress.  
“ So, what are you doing in my room. Not that I mind. I basically never get visitors. But when I do they're usually ones that I know” she smiled crookedly at him. But this time he didn't smile back. He had just realized. She was in the hospital, in what looked to be a pretty permanent room. And she was hooked up to an I.V. With wires coming out of her shirt to connect to a big machine. His heart sank, how could this be? She couldn't be sick right? No of course not. She must've just had a minor procedure or gotten her appendix removed or something.  
“Ummm... I'm not sure, just kind of ended up here. Why are you in the hospital? If you don't mind me asking?” For a second, her face fell and he worried that he had gone too far. But when she met his eyes her gaze was strong and resigned.  
“ don't you know where you are? Didn't you see the sign in the hall?” she chuckled dryly. He had to do a double-take, he had been so focused on getting to the room he hadn't been paying attention. He ran through the walk in his mind, he had an excellent memory and when he got to the hall that her room was in he focused on the sign on the wall.  
CANCER TREATMENT  
He stumbled back and looked at her in horror. No no no no no. This couldn't be happening. This could NOT be happening.  
“Why do you look so scared, man? I'm the one who's dying, not you” she started to laugh but then she doubled over coughing. He was at her side in a second, rubbing her back and pulling her hair away from her perfect face. When she drew back, the sheets that she had coughed over were covered in blood. His heart shattered even as his nostrils flared at the smell of her sweet blood. He continued to rub her back even as his eyes stung with tears and his teeth ached with hunger. He had to look away. He turned his head to the side and saw a clipboard with an Information sheet clipped to it. As he read it, anger and pain gripped his shattered heart.  
ELODIE MARKSMOORE  
AGE: 19 DIAGNOSIS: STAGE FOUR LUNG CANCER 

ESTIMATED LIFE EXPECTANCY: 4- 6 WEEKS

No. He refused to accept that. He would turn her himself if he had to. But one way or another. He would not let her die.  
Ever.


	3. chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this our first alternative point of view!!! Let's take a peek inside Elodies' beautiful mind why don't we? I will be posting the next chapter later today so stay tuned!! Also, for all of you who are wondering why I labeled this PG-13... I promise all will be revealed soon. Girls gotta have a little romance first though, doesn't she??  
> As always, Thank you for reading! You are all lovely, amazing people and I hope that someday you find an imprint of your very own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also a quick note, Renesmee and Jacob WILL COME INTO THE STORY I promise. I'm just waiting for it to be natural. Let's just say that Alice will be making a few key phone calls ;)

-Elodie- 

She should be freaked out. This guy had just stumbled into her room like he thought it was the cafeteria, looked at her like she was from another planet, and now he was holding her hair back while she practically coughed up one of her own diseased lungs.  
After what felt like an hour of cough and choking and back rubs, she finally felt like she could sit back up. He was kneeling at her bed and his golden tan face had gone pale and tight. He almost looked like he was in more pain than she was. For some reason, she didn't enjoy seeing him so tense.  
In her short and not-so-charmed life, Elodie had realized that she didn't have the energy to care about people. It wasn't that she didn't want to care, it was just that she knew that caring was a two-way street. She wasn't able to give the attention and commitment that was needed in a relationship. Especially after she got diagnosed, she was constantly in and out of the hospital and her energy levels were always low. Plus there was the little issue of her imminent death. She couldn't exactly be committed to anyone knowing she would be dead in a few months or even weeks. So she just kept to herself and tried to wake up each day with enough energy to stay alive. And in return, no one took care of her. Her mother had left them when she was young and had never tried to make contact again. When she was diagnosed, her father (who had barely been holding himself together at the time) couldn't handle it, and he hung himself from the tree in their backyard a week later. She was numb to it at this point. She was resigned to living alone and dying alone. But now, with his warm hand resting on her back, and his eyes looking at her like she actually mattered, she felt like she had to care at least a little. It was as if her heart would give out if she didn't let those big brown eyes keep looking at her like that. Without realizing what she was doing, she lifted her hand to the side of his gorgeous, worried face.  
“It’s okay. I’m fine. If anyone knows how to handle a bad cough it’s me.” she said all of this in her softest voice, the one she used with her little sister Melanie when she had just woken up from a bad dream. After her mom had left and her dad had fallen deeper than ever into his depression, she had been left to care for her then 4, now 14-year-old sister. She was the only person Elodie loved, and Elodie knew that Mel loved her too. She just hoped that she could have more love in her life than Elodie had. She wasn't scared of dying, she was only scared of what would happen to her sister when she did.  
She was awoken from her thoughts by the boy’s deep voice, cracked and strained.  
“ It’s not okay. Nothing about this is okay!” he sounded angry like he was ready to kill whatever malicious deity had gifted her with this cancer.  
“I know. But if that's what I told every stranger who stumbled into my room and held my hair back, I’d have more pity than I could handle.” She tried to give him a convincing smile and he seemed to appreciate the effort because his hand resumed the smooth circles it had been tracing on her back.  
“What if you could change it?” he asked, and then his eyes widened as if he hadn't meant to say it. She considered the question.  
“If I'm being totally honest. I only really have one thing to live for, and she’d probably be better off without me, so I don't think I would want to live a long life. I know it sounds strange. But I’m ready to die.” It was true, she hadn't said it out loud until now. But her life was horrible. She knew it was horrible and the only way she could think of to get out of it was to die. She had never been afraid of death, it was her loyal companion, who walked by her side. Not to mention it was the only constant in her life, the only thing that she could count on. She met the handsome boy's eyes. He looked like someone had just sucker-punched him.  
“Jesus! Are you okay?” she asked worriedly  
“ Am I Okay? Of course, I'm not okay! You just told me that you wanted to die!” He was almost yelling at this point and he was pacing at the side of her bed. She shrunk back from his shouts and tried to edge away from him. He saw this and instantly froze, then he shook his head as if he was reprimanding himself. “ I'm sorry. That was too much. I just- I don't like the sound of that.” He sighed and sat down in the visitor's chair facing her. She knew he wasn’t trying to piss her off, but something about how invested he seemed made her nervous, and being nervous made her mad.  
“ Well if this depresses you so much you can leave! In fact, I would like you to leave. I get to go home today and I need to change. Not to mention you are a total stranger! I don't even know your name. Get out. I'm tired and I want you to leave.” she had transitioned back into her cold, unattached, smooth voice that she used with everybody else. His face crumpled and he got up and slowly walked towards the door like a dejected puppy. She instantly regretted snapping at him and wanted to call him back. But that couldn't lead to anything more than heartbreak for both of them, so she resigned herself to letting him leave. He gripped the door handle.  
“ My name is Elijah. I'm sorry for disturbing you Elodie.” 

And then he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay! a little back and forth flirting going on here, it seems like Elodie is feeling similar pull to Elijah as he is to her (although she probably doesn't know why)  
> They are finally leaving the hospital. I'm probably gonna post one more time tonight. But I'm not sure. AS always Please read and enjoy! You are beautiful and smart and awesome!

-Elijah-  
Wow. He was such an idiot. Why the Hell did he have to come on so strong? She probably thought he was a total freak. He had tried to be subtle, but when she had looked up at him with those big, beautiful eyes and told him that she wanted to die. He felt like someone had just ripped his heart out of his chest. She only had ONE thing to live for? How could such a perfect angel not have the life she deserved? It felt like bearing witness to a cruel injustice.  
He paced outside her room, he couldn't leave. There was no way he was leaving her. He would go full-on stalker if he had to, just to make sure she got home safe. He stepped away from the door and walked a little farther down the hall so that he wouldn't be able to hear her shuffling around in her room trying to change her clothes. The thought of that alone made the animal in him want to bust the door open, pick her up, and take her home with him. He grimaced at how predatory that sounded. He wasn't like that, he hated most guys who were like that. But apparently, his wolf form did not share his low opinion of that type of behavior because it was raging, trying to break loose and claim its mate. “ For fuck’s sake!” He muttered before turning and starting to pace again. She hated him, she was scared of him. The look on her face when he had yelled at her for wanting to die made him feel so unbelievably ashamed. He wanted to kneel at her bedside and beg forgiveness. But he couldn't. She didn't even want him around. “Get out. I'm tired and I want you to leave” He couldn't help but replay that moment over and over in his head. He must've seemed like such a Dick!  
He whirled around at the sound of her door handle turning. When she stepped out of the room her legs shook, she walked with a simple, thin black cane. She winced every time she took a step as if it hurt. The pull to go and grab her in his arms and carry her everywhere was so strong that he had to turn away.  
“ You’re still here.” She spoke matter of factly. She didn't sound mad anymore which was a small relief but did little to ease his guilt and worry.  
“ Umm.. yeah sorry.” He didn't know whether he was apologizing for being in the hospital, or his mere presence on this earth. Either seemed appropriate. To his unending surprise, she actually laughed.  
“ It's okay Elijah. I don't have a monopoly on the entire hospital. I just didn't want you in my room. Honestly, my reaction was harsh. I'm not going to apologize because you ARE a stranger and I should probably be scared of you. But you were just trying to be kind in your own way.” She panted a little after she was done speaking as if the long sentence had knocked the wind out of her. The way she said his name made his skin tingle, like a little wave of electricity was traveling up from his toes to the top of his head. He had to resist the urge to shiver.  
“ I shouldn't have yelled at you, or barged into your room, or done any of the things that I've done in the last few minutes. I apologize for the intrusion. But I can assure you I have no ulterior motives.” He talked fast as if he was scared that if he didn't say it all now he would never have the chance. She shook her head and smiled  
“ Don't worry. I didn't think you did. Of course, nobody wants to hit on the gross, sickly cancer patient.” She chuckled but her eyes were sad. Goddamit, This girl was going to rip his heart in two. How could she think that? She was the only thing he wanted. And he wanted her so much.  
“ That's not what I meant at all! I would totally hit on you! Well... that's not what I meant. Shit. Sorry” She laughed again, but this time it wasn't sad or reserved. It was a genuine laugh, with crinkles at the edges of her eyes and warmth and a crackling undertone. It was music to his ears. No, scratch that, it was better than any music he’d ever heard. “ You have an amazing laugh.”  
Fuck.  
He hadn't meant to say that out loud. She quieted and looked at him for a long time as if he were a book she was deciding whether she should read or not.  
“ It was nice talking to you, Elijah. You were a wonderful surprise.” ( Oh you have no idea) He thought to himself as she walked by and slowly made her way towards the doors. He couldn't let her leave, he had just found her. He was like an addict, He just wanted one more second, one more laugh, a little more eye contact.  
“Wait! Where are you going?” He asked hurriedly. Stalling for an opening. Thankfully she gave him one.  
“ To my car,” she said, looking just a little amused at his obvious question.  
“ Who's driving you home? As a matter of fact. Who brought you in? Why are you here alone?” He was praying she wouldn't get mad at his intrusion, but she didn't. She just looked at him with her sad, gorgeous eyes.  
“ I drove myself. And I will be driving myself back.” He was confused.  
“ But...You shouldn't have to do that. That isn't safe, is it? What about a parent? Can you get one of them to drive you home?”  
“ Well, my Dad is a little busy being dead. And if you can find my mom, then maybe you can tell her to come to pick me up. But I have been waiting for almost ten years. So Good luck.” For what felt like the hundredth time that day, he wanted to wrap her up in her arms and steal her away from the rest of the horrible world. Both of her parents were gone? She was alone? That wasn't right. She WAS alone. But not anymore. She would never be alone again if he had anything to do with it.  
“Okay. Screw that. I’m driving you home.” She looked taken aback at his blunt delivery. But he wasn't going to take no for an answer. She shook her head,  
“ I can't ask you to do that, Elijah. That isn't fair to you. Plus I can drive, I’m an excellent driver.”  
“ Oh, I do not doubt that your driving skills are far superior to mine. But as it turns out, I need a ride home… so you'd really be the one doing me a favor. My car got completely totaled, that's how I ended up here. So just let me drive you home.” She looked at him like he was a crazy person. But her smile was slowly growing into a grin.  
“So, you're telling me that you are in the hospital for crashing your car. But I should trust you with mine? That seems suspect.” She was full-on grinning at this point, and he could feel himself doing the exact same thing.  
“ Exactly! And besides, the crash wasn't my fault! I got T-Boned by a crazy person! Honestly, you should be thankful I'm still alive. I'll probably never get over it.” He pouted his bottom lip out and tried his best to look cute. She laughed that gorgeous, cackling laugh again and his heart warmed.  
“Okay, You big baby. Think fast!” She pulled her keys out of the pocket of her jean jacket and tossed them at him. Of course, he saw it coming a mile away and caught them in one hand and twirled them around his finger.  
“Perfect! You won't regret this! I make an excellent chauffeur” He walked up to her, His heart feeling light and full in his chest. He put his arm out as a joke, But to his surprise she took it. She was tall enough that he didn't have to lean down for her to rest her hand on his arm. Of course, he was still considerably taller than her, but she walked comfortably at his side. The pressure of her hand on his bare arm made him want to giggle. What the hell? He was a man for God Sake, he needed to pull himself together. They walked together in a comfortable silence towards the doors. He noticed with a pang of pain, that she was relying heavily on his arm for support as they walked, and he found himself having to walk much slower than he normally would have to accommodate her slower pace. Of course, he didn't mind at all, the more time he could spend standing this close to her the better. As she focused on the walk towards the door, he took a second to gaze at her. She had changed into black leggings and a light green sweater, with a jean jacket covering her Too-thin shoulders. She wore green canvas slip-on shoes and he could see her light orange phone case peeking out from her jean jacket pocket. Not only were her clothes simple and well matched, but they were also just fitted enough to show him more of her body than he could make out when she was lying down covered in blankets. Of course, she was beautiful and the most attractive woman he’d ever met. But his appreciation for her long legs and beautiful body was dampened by how skinny she was. He knew she was beautiful, but being sick had clearly taken its toll. Where she was meant to have full hips and rosy cheeks, there were too many dips and a cold, malnourished undertone to her skin. She was like a fierce wild cat that had gone too many weeks without feeding. Part of him wanted to shift, run into the woods, and slaughter a deer to bring back to her. But he had a feeling that wouldn't exactly convince her that he was any less creepy. Instead, he brought his eyes back to her face and smiled when he saw the scrunch of concentration between her brows.  
They were almost to the car when she gave a slight tug on his arm.  
“I need to rest” she panted and he instantly stopped. He hated having to watch this. And as he did he realized that he didn't have to. Carefully, without offsetting her balance, he slipped his arm from her grip and instead wrapped it around her waist and put the other arm underneath her legs. She let out an adorable squeak of alarm as he lifted her off the ground, cane and all, and smiled at her.  
“ Is this all right?” he asked hesitantly. She considered for a second and then smiled at him.  
“ Yes. Thank you, Elijah.” His heart skipped a beat when she said his name. He wondered if that would ever stop.  
He hoped not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this felt like an abrupt end its only because I want to tell the car ride from Elodie's perspective. She has some thoughts on our boy that I think need to be shared. Don't you?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little look into the things that Elodie is struggling with. She is strong as F*ck. But she is also dealing with some very heartbreaking stuff and she hasn't had anyone to lean on in a very long time. So this is kind of the culmination of all of those factors. Please enjoy the read my lovelies! and If you are struggling with anything (no matter what it is) remember there are always people who will listen. Whether that is a friend, family member, significant other, or professional. You deserve to be happy! Just like Elodie.

-Elodie-  
She stared out the window while Elijah drove them back to her apartment. It felt so good to have someone take care of her after so long. She thought about how small and safe she’d felt in his arms. As he’d carried her to the car, she had seen their reflection in the tinted window of an SUV, If she hadn't been so gaunt and skinny, they would have looked like a handsome couple. But instead, it looked more like a caring, stunningly gorgeous male nurse, carrying a dying patient. She hadn't talked much since. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed talking with him, and teasing him. But she had to remember the obvious. He was tall, tan, and perfect, with the sleeves of his black polo shirt stretching to accommodate his strong, muscled arms. He was the picture of health and life. She looked more like a painted portrait of someone's miserable old aunt. She had been beautiful and energetic once, able to fully enjoy her life and not care what anyone thought. Now she was frail, tired, and breakable. Nobody could call her beautiful, or sexy, or hot, least of all herself. She just wanted to go home to her sister, who was the only person she didn't feel ugly around nowadays. Elijah was probably dating some gorgeous, full-figured model or something. Not that she should care, but for some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that they would be good together. Maybe if he had met her years ago when she was still healthy… to her shock she felt a tear slide down her face. She hadn't cried in almost a year. She quickly wiped it away before Elijah could notice, but another one took its place. She didn't know whether it was finally having someone who was being strong for her, rather than the other way around, or just the glimpse of happiness that she knew she could never have.  
She had always been a silent crier, she was grateful for that as she turned her head farther from Elijah's too-soft gaze and stared hard out the window. God this was embarrassing.  
“ Hey, Elodie? Do I take the next left? Or the one after that?” Shit shit shit. She had to answer quickly without giving away that she was crying. She took a deep breath.  
“The closer one.” She said it very quietly to hide the hitch in her voice and she thought she’d gotten away with it but instead of taking the left that she had told him to, he started to pull the car to the side of the road. “W-what are you doing? Keep going” she tried to convince him but it was too late, he was already turning the car off and turning to face the back of her head (her face was still squarely pointed at the window) it was the middle of the night, so his reflection was clear even to her watery eyes.  
“What's wrong?” She met his eyes in the window reflection and the concern and hurt there made her crack, she let out a sob.  
“ I’m sorry, I don't know what's happening to me. You can just keep driving.”  
“ I'm not going to do that.” His voice was gentle and deep and before she could protest he was turning her to face him. He lightly tipped her face up so that she was looking up at him. Damn, he was tall. “Can you talk about it?” All she could do was shake her head no, for fear that speaking would draw more sobs from her throat. Instead of pushing her to talk, or turning the key in the ignition to drive her home, Elijah just unbuckled her seatbelt and gently lifted her into his lap where she buried her face in his soft shirt and sobbed the real, brutal tears of a dying girl who never even got to live.  
He stroked her hair and rested his cheek on the top of her head. Through the tears and wallowing, she found herself feeling surprised at how natural this felt. She hadn't cried in so long, and she just had so much to cry about. So finally, mere weeks before she was probably going to die. She wept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter you will finally be getting the Renesmee and Jacob fluff that I've been withholding from you! Just hang in there!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is the episode where the parents get caught up on all the drama via our favorite news source... Aunt Alice! Hope you enjoy it and I hope that you are having a wonderful day! and if not, Maybe this will distract you!

-Renesmee-  
Curled on Jakes's lap. Watching Hayao Miyazaki movies and edging closer and closer to sleep, Nessie was in heaven. It didn't hurt that Jacob’s hand had slowly been moving farther and farther up the back of her shirt and was now tracing soothing lines down her spine. She was a breath away from sleep when her phone rang from the kitchen. Jake groaned, clearly he’d been enjoying himself as much as she had. It was a struggle to extricate herself from his arms, especially while he was doing nothing to make it any easier, but eventually, she freed herself and grabbed the phone just before it went to voicemail  
“ Hey, Alice! How are you?” she asked in her lightest voice, trying not to sound like she'd just been half asleep.  
“ Oh, Ness I’m sorry to wake you. You and Jacob looked like you were having such a nice time” Damn. Alice was good.  
“ It's okay! It's always nice to hear from you. But I'm guessing this isn't just a social call. Did you have a vision? Is something wrong?” Alice only called out of the blue when it was about her visions.  
“ It's not you guys that I'm worried about. It's Elijah… You should probably put me on speaker so that you and Jacob can both hear me.”  
“Oh Umm... okay” she was wary, but she walked back to the couch where Jacob was looking at her, confusion gracing his handsome face.  
“ Everything alright Babe?” he asked  
“ It's Alice, she says she's had a vision about Elijah.” He sat up and his chocolate brown eyes sharpened.  
“Okay…” Renesmee sat down next to her husband and pressed the speaker button on the phone.   
“You're on Alice.” the small, spritelike woman cleared her throat.  
“ Okay, well you know that I don't usually meddle in people's lives if I don't think it will put them on the right path. But in this case, I'm not 100% sure if I did the right thing.   
So… Elijah was in a car wreck.” Nessies' heart stopped.  
“ WHAT!? Where is he? Which hospital? Is he okay? What happened? He wasn't drunk, was he? Is he okay? Did I already ask that?” Jacob put a hand on her back and pulled her back into his lap.  
“ I’m sure he's fine Hun. Not much can hurt the Kid. Right Alice? He’s okay?”  
“ Oh yes he’s completely unharmed, that isn't even the point of the story. It's what happened AT the hospital that's interesting. So as I was saying, I saw him wreck, and then I saw him show up at the hospital. I was looking in on him to make sure he was okay when My vision was suddenly pulled down the hall towards another room. That’s when I realized I was seeing the future. Elijah was standing at the door of Room 205 and a girl was laying in the bed. The girl… Gah! I don't know how to tell you this, but… He imprinted on her. “ Renesmee was on her feet in a second  
“ Oh my goodness that is amazing!!! I knew he would imprint, I just knew it! Didn't I totally call it Babe?” Jacob was chuckling happily and watching her bounce around the room on the balls of her feet.  
“ You most certainly did Ness.” She bounced over to him and jumped in his lap. He teased her by letting out a grunt like he'd been hit with a sandbag. She slapped his arm and stuck her tongue out at him and he leaned over to kiss her, tongue and all. She reluctantly broke off the kiss at the sound of Alice clearing her throat.  
“ Guys… That's not all. I have some bad news too” Her voice sounded leaden like she'd had time to process something truly dreadful. Nessie looked at Jake in alarm, he looked right back at her and wrapped his arms around her.  
“ What's the matter, Aunt Alice? What have you seen?” Silence.   
“ She's sick guys. And she isn't getting better, it's cancer. She doesn't have much time. And the worst part is. I can't see what happens. I know that Elijah wants to change her. But I don't know if she will agree to it… Guys, I can't see whether or not she survives.” 

Oh no.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are y'all ready to meet Melanie Marksmoore??? well... ready or not here she comes!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a double POV chapter! Two for the price of one! Enjoy, you beautiful people!

-Jacob-  
How could this be happening? The last person who deserved this was Elijah. He had always been the most optimistic and hopeful of all their kids. Where Izzy was driven, and Charlie was creative, Elijah was hopeful like no one Jacob had ever met. Although he would never admit it, Jacob knew that the reason Elijah had never pursued a girlfriend was that he had held out hope that he would one day imprint one someone. Now, his secret dream had finally come true, but the girl was terminally ill. As a wolf who had experienced the intense and consuming experience of imprinting, he knew that right about now Elijah would do just about anything to protect that girl. It didn't matter whether it was her choice or not. He would go to the ends of the earth to keep her alive. But, if that failed and she died… Jake knew that before their kids, Nessie had been the only important thing to him. She was then and still is, his entire world. If she had died, if being a hybrid had killed her, or if the Volturi had destroyed her thinking that she was an immortal child… well there was no question, Jake would have killed himself. He couldn't fathom a world without her. He wouldn't be a man, a father, a wolf, an alpha, or a good husband if it weren't for the confidence and joy that their bond brought him. Now it was different, they had the kids to think about. But in those first years, when it was all imprint bliss and bonding, he would have broken every bone in his body to keep her happy (not that she would ever ask him to do that). His heart ached for his son, he couldn't imagine the heartbreak that Elijah must be going through right now.

-Elijah-   
He couldn't believe this was happening. She was letting him hold her, touch her hair, she was sitting in his lap for God's Sake! As much as he hated the pain that she was going through. It was good to see her let some of it out. Not to mention it made him feel so unbelievably lucky to know that she felt comfortable enough around him to let him be her shoulder to cry on… literally.   
After a while of calm silence, her breathing had evened out and the tears had stopped. But she had made no effort to extract herself from his lap, and he wasn't about to force her to go. He simply continued to stroke back her silky hair and rest his cheek on the top of her head. He inhaled her warm, cinnamon scent and wrapped his arm more snuggly around her. He knew they should get back on the road. It was almost the next morning and he wasn't tired, but a human girl, especially this specific human girl, needed rest. He tightened his arms around her one last time before murmuring into her hair,  
“ We should get going now. Are you feeling any better?” He waited for a reply and when none came his heart started to beat faster. He leaned away from her to look at her face and he focused his hearing on her heartbeat. To his immense relief, her heartbeat was steady and her breathing was even. ‘ She’s asleep!’ he realized. He tried to think of what to do. He knew it was probably a bad idea to drive with her in his lap, but the last thing he wanted to do was wake her up. His higher- than- normal body temperature meant that he could keep her warm even in the cold, crisp night air. He gathered her up in his arms and opened his car door as quietly as possible. He carried her to her side of the car, and gently laid her down in her seat, he went to stand up but her hands were locked around his neck. He carefully unlaced her fingers and walked to his trunk to grab her a blanket. After covering her in his thickest blanket, he got back in the car and turned the key in the ignition, the car started with a low rumble and Elijah looked over to make sure she hadn't woken up. Sure enough, she was on her side, hair falling over her face, and from the darkness of the car, he could see two big green eyes watching him calmly. He smiled at her, and without thinking, he reached over and brushed her stray hair behind her ear. When he drew back his hand he felt something cool, and then wrap around it, he looked away from the road to see her tan, fine-boned hand, holding his. She hadn't moved from where she was curled up on the seat, and her eyes were still watching him intently. He was so engrossed in her gaze that he almost missed the turn. Jerking his head back up, he yanked the wheel and whipped the car around the tight corner.  
“Sorry” he whispered. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to whisper as if loud noises would break the calm, perfect spell they seemed to be under. She laughed softly, like a breeze rustling through the leaves of a tree,   
“ It’s alright,” she whispered back, almost as if she felt it too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi, ya'll! It feels good to post another chapter after a long day of working on boring things for which I hold no passion. I hope you enjoy this part of the story told from Elodie's POV. I always get annoyed when I'm reading stories that make both of the characters doubt the other's love for them. Of course, they both have their insecurities, But in this story, I am trying to emphasize that the bond goes both ways. even though Elodie doesn't totally know what's happening, she knows that there is something between her and Elijah and she doesn't try to deny it. Okay! I'll quit talking your ear off (If you even took the time to read all of this) and let you get to it! Have fun you Lovely, Lovely nerdlings.

-Elodie-  
She probably shouldn't be embarrassed in front of the man she’d just  
cried herself to sleep on. But as they pulled into the parking lot of her shitty apartment complex, she found herself wishing she’d lied and told him she lived in one of the nice houses down the street. The building was small and the brick red paint was chipped beyond repair, the sign on the front that read “ Bogachiel River Terrace” was hanging from one nail so that it swung in the cold night wind. Not to mention about a month ago, a smoking, broken down trailer had taken up residence there and Elodie was about 90% sure that someone was using it as a headquarters for shady drug dealers. She had never wanted or needed to be rich. But after their mom left and her dad got laid off, they had lost their house and she had realized that there was poor, and then there was whatever she was.  
She reached for her handle but somehow Elijah was already at the door, holding it open. That was weird, she could have sworn he was just sitting next to her. She stepped out shakily from the car and grabbed her cane. She hated that fucking thing. It made her feel old and decrepit. Once she had made it out of the car and was standing on the pavement, she looked up at Elijah standing next to her. He looked confused like he was trying to decide if she was messing with him.  
“ Do you go to college near here or something?” She could tell he was trying to figure out why anyone would choose to live here. She scoffed,  
“Umm... No. I don't go to college. After my Dad killed himself he left us with no money. So I've been using the money that I had saved up for college to pay rent on this place and take care of us ever since.” She said it all in a cold, detached voice. It still hurt to think about, but it was easier when she delivered it like she was reading the ingredients off of the back of a cracker container.   
She looked to Elijah to gauge his reaction and was surprised to find him staring hard at the side of the building. He looked like he was trying hard to keep his emotions off his face, she couldn't tell what he was thinking.  
“Us?” he asked. It was one word, but she could feel the weight of a million questions behind it.  
“ Yeah. Me and my little sister Melanie. I take care of her.” she paused “ Do you remember when I said I only had one thing to live for?” a tight nod. “ Well, I was talking about her. I still have to figure out what she's gonna do once I'm gone. For now, my neighbor takes care of her while I'm at my appointments. But I don't think she'd be willing to adopt her.” He was staring at her like a little boy staring at a kicked puppy. “ Stop it.” she blurted it out, harsher than she’d meant to.   
“ Stop what?” He looked genuinely confused.  
“Stop looking at me like you want to rescue me. You can't, so don't play the hero. That just means that I have to play the victim.” She tried to keep her voice even so that he wouldn't think she was mad. She wasn't mad, there were just certain things that got tiring when you were ‘The dying girl’. He looked guilty and put his head down, once again she was reminded ever so slightly of a dog. She reached out tentatively and touched his warm hand with her cool one. His head snapped up and he stared at her as if she’d just told him she wanted to go sample some meth from the sketchy trailer. “ What?” she started to pull her hand back but he caught it firmly in his and a gorgeous smile broke out on his face.   
“Nothing. Don't change a thing” she didn't know if it was the way he said it, like he was talking about more than just her hand clasped in his, or the way he was looking at her, but she felt the blood rush to her cheeks.  
“ How would you feel about walking the rest of the way with me?” His brown eyes lit up at the suggestion and his smile grew.  
“ I probably would've even if you hadn't asked. I do NOT trust whatever is happening inside that trailer.” He raised his eyebrow exaggeratedly and she couldn't help letting out one of her, gross cackling laughs. She clamped her hand over her mouth, reminding herself that everyone was almost certainly asleep at this time of the morning. But Elijah didn’t seem worried, he chuckled deeply and they started towards the front doors  
Everything was going fine. Until they reached the stairs. She didn't want him to see this. These stairs were the bane of her existence, she had to take multiple rests to catch her breath, and by the time she was at the top, she was always dizzy and red in the face, huffing, and puffing like McDonald's frequenter. She took a deep breath and started to tell him that he could go back to his car and she would be fine from here on. But before she could get the words out his arms were underneath her, wrapping around her waist and gently lifting her legs like he’d done earlier that night outside the hospital. Without a word, he started up the stairs. All she could do was stare at him. He was beautiful. The lines of his face were strong, but not hard or sharp. He had high cheekbones and an impressive jawline. He was probably the tallest guy she’d ever known personally, and he was built like someone who went to the gym every day and could afford to eat well. He had lifted her like she weighed nothing.   
As she stared at him she had the strangest urge to reach out and trace the lines of his face. She thought that he probably wouldn't mind, given that he clearly felt the pull between them just as strongly as she did. It was truly unlike anything she'd ever felt, It was almost like her fragile life had been floating in the unknown, without anything to anchor it, and when she had seen him it had felt as if that tether had finally found its other end and made the connection it had been searching for. The trouble was that when he left she felt like that tether would be pulled taught again, and eventually, once he was far enough away, it would snap. She didn't think that she could go back to being connectionless like that again.   
Before she knew it they had reached the top of the stairs and he was gently setting her down and handing her cane back to her. She had forgotten how quick stairs were when you could actually breathe.   
“ Thank you. Again” She blushed and he smiled at her warmly.   
“ Anytime. Okay so, which one is yours?” She had gotten over her initial embarrassment surrounding her living situation. Now she was feeling kind of giddy at the prospect of having him in her apartment.  
“ This way.” She took his hand for the third time that night and led him toward her door. It was beginning to feel stranger when they weren’t touching than it was when they were. She stopped in front of her door and rummaged around in her purse until she found her keys. She turned them in the lock and swung the door open as quietly as she could. She turned her head to look back at Elijah, he was standing nervously just outside the doorway. “It's late. Actually, it's basically the next morning. You should stay here tonight.” He seemed unsure  
“ No, I shouldn't. I don't want to be that guy. You know? The one who pretends to be chivalrous so that he can get into pretty girl's pants.” She tried to ignore the fact that he thought she was pretty, and instead focused on how cute it was that he was still worried that she thought he was a creepy stranger.  
“ Elijah, I'm not sure what tonight was, or what we will feel like tomorrow, but for now there is no way I'm letting you try to make your way home in the dark after you’ve been so kind to me. So stop shuffling your feet and come in” He smiled at her and let out an audible sigh.  
“Thank you so much.” The invitation to stay seemed to mean a lot to him. She wasn't sure why but she had a feeling that he knew more about this connection than she did. Everything she did seemed to mean something to him. She was slowly learning that she had to be careful not to give him the impression that she was annoyed or angry with him when she wasn't. Because it seemed to cause him actual pain.  
She pulled him inside and quietly shut the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we are FINALLY out of the hospital and moving this love train to the next station! Choo choo! hope you had fun and you can look forward to some lovestruck admiration from Elijah's POV next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one. and I apologize in advance for any typos. I try to correct them all but While rereading some of my material I've realized just how many I missed. Hope you enjoy and have a great day!

-Elijah-  
Her place was nicer than he thought it would be. When he had seen the apartment complex that she lived in, his blood had boiled with rage, rage at her parents for leaving her with so little, and rage at himself for not finding her sooner. When they had come up the stairs and he’d thought of her having to drag herself up them every day, he was so angry he couldn't even speak for fear he would scream and tear the railing from the side. Without any hesitation, he had picked her up and carried her to the top. He could feel her staring at him but he didn't mind. He wanted her to look at him.  
Despite her less than ideal situation, she seemed to be making the most of it. Her apartment was sparsely decorated. With a soft, light green couch pushed to the far wall and a small TV hung on the wall. The kitchen was organized, with a fruit bowl on the countertop and three bottled waters lined up against the side of the fridge. If he looked to his right he could see a dark hallway with one door on the right and two doors on the left. Bathroom and bedrooms he assumed.  
“Jesus Christ!” he exclaimed, when the lump that he'd thought was a pile of blankets on the couch moved. Elodie clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. He mocked, glared at her, and rolled his eyes. She was still laughing quietly when she walked over to the couch and knelt by one end of the pile.  
“ Mel, sweetheart,” she said, softly shaking the pile. Realization dawned on him, her little sister had thought she would be back by now. A pang of guilt shot through him as he thought of how worried the little girl must've been. The pile moved, and a couple of blankets shifted to reveal a shock of blond hair and two, sleepy green eyes that matched Elodies perfectly. That seemed to be where the resemblance ended though. Where Elodie looked like a girl who belonged in the dark greens and browns of the forest, Melanie looked like she should be in the mountains, with the snow and harsh, cold sun. Her hair was a light creamy blonde and her skin was so pale she looked like she'd never seen a day of sun. Her dark green eyes stood out from her otherwise fair complexion. As she sat up and threw her arms around Elodie, Elijah saw that another way they differed was in their builds. Elodie was tall and thin like a woodland elf, while her sister was shorter and more filled out. Melanie looked like a real-life cherub. She was very pretty and looked younger than her 14 years. He guessed that was partly due to Elodie taking on all of her hardships.  
“ Oh my God El! What the Hell? I was worried out of my mind. You are such a bitch!” Okay, maybe he was wrong about her being young and innocent. Elodie laughed and smacked her sisters arm, clearly not feeling like disciplining her for her language  
“ Shut up! You’re so rude. Believe it or not, I've had a long night and I don't need a bratty little sister getting on my case to top it off. Although you're right, I know I should've called. I was very distracted.” Finally, Melanie noticed him standing in the doorway, truly devilish grin broke out across her face  
“ Hello there! You must be the distraction. Nice to meet you. Why are you in our house?” Clearly, blunt, dry humor ran in the family. Elodie gasped with laughter and wheezed  
“ Oh my God you are so embarrassing” Melanie’s smile only grew as she turned back to waggle her eyebrows at her older sister. Looking at them, Elijah could tell that they weren’t just sisters, they were partners and equals. Elodie didn't treat her sister like something to be handled. And Melanie seemed to be just as at ease around her older sibling.  
He stepped forward tentatively, part of him not wanting to disturb their adorable little bubble.  
“ Umm… Hi, I'm Elijah. Your sister said I could stay the night because of how late it was.” He tried to sound neutral and nonchalant when in reality he wanted desperately to be approved of.  
“ Oh yeah. I'm Sure that was the reason.” she looked pointedly at her sister who pinched her and glared.  
“Anyways, Elijah needs the couch, so get your cute little butt to bed,” Elodie emphasized her words by giving Melanie’s hand a little tug. Mel took a moment to consider her options, then she shook her head and swung her legs back onto the couch.  
“Nah I’m good. I like the couch.” Elodie glared at her suspiciously  
“ You hate the couch. You say it's lumpy and makes your neck hurt.” Melanie shrugged innocently.  
“You know me, I just like to complain.” Elijah was confused and shuffled his feet nervously.  
“ Okay… well why don't I just use your room then Melanie. Would that be okay?” he looked at her hopefully but she just laughed. Elodie looked at him apologetically. He was clearly missing something. After it became clear that Melanie wasn't going to give him an explanation, Elodie sighed and told him,  
“We only have one bedroom, Those other doors are the bathroom and the pantry. Mel and I share a bed” By the time she was done her cheeks were red and she was looking down at the floor.  
One bed.  
Oh.  
“ Umm well, I’m happy to take the floor If that works best.” He meant it. Even if the idea of sharing a bed with Elodie seemed like heaven on earth, he would happily take the floor if that was what made them the most comfortable. Elodie blushed even harder, when she blushed she looked almost healthy. He loved it. Melanie snickered.  
“Well you see Elijah, that won't work either. I sleep with Elodie because of space reasons, sure. But that's only part of it” Her face became a little more serious when she told him the next part. “ El has dyspnea. It's a side effect of the cancer” His chest tightened. Elodie was looking down at the floor again, but the color had drained from her cheeks.  
“ It means that sometimes my chest constricts and I can't breathe. It's especially bad when I'm sleeping because I'm not awake to remind myself to keep actively breathing. So Melanie wakes me up and helps me if I start to choke during the night” She spoke so quietly that If he hadn't had supernatural hearing he wouldn’t have been able to hear her at all. There was no hesitation in his mind now.  
“ Okay, then I'll do it.” Elodie looked up at him, she seemed relieved that he hadn’t made a big deal or acted totally shocked. Even if in reality he wanted to cry. Melanie had broken out into a satisfied grin  
“ Perfect! I'll be here if you need me” She said the last part to Elodie. And with that, she clicked off the TV that had been playing since they came in, and pulled the blankets back over her head. Elodie shrugged apologetically and sighed  
“ I’m sorry about this. My sister is very… headstrong” little leg shot out from the blanket pile to swipe at Elodie's legs, she stepped back just in time and laughed under her breath. Elijah would have laughed too but he had been frozen with fear and anticipation ever since he'd agreed to share a bed with Elodie. When she finally turned to him and smiled shyly, his heart stopped. This was both the best, and the most heartbreaking night of his life. He wondered if life would always be this stressful from now on.  
“ You ready?” he realized he'd just been staring at her and he shook himself awake.  
“Y-y-Yes, Yeah okay” she started down the hall and he followed behind her. She opened the door and walked in, she crossed over to the dresser and set her purse down on the dresser. Before he stepped in, Elijah took a moment to survey the room. At the beginning of this night if someone had told him that it would end with him in the bedroom of his dying dream girl. He would've thought they were heavily intoxicated or crazy. But here he was. The room was clean, just like the rest of the house, a basket of folded laundry sat by the dresser waiting to be put away. It was a very small room, only enough space for a queen-sized bed, a white, painted dresser, and an old wooden rocking chair sitting by the square window. Her bed was small, too small for him and her to sleep with much space between them. Convenient. With a deep breath, he stepped into the small room and took off his shoes. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the light, faded blue comforter. Elodie was rummaging through an open drawer in her dresser, That reminded him that he was still in his black polo shirt and jeans.  
“ Ummm… I don't want to be a hassle. But you don't happen to have any sweatpants that would fit me, do you? I can sleep in jeans, but the belt could be an issue.” and of course without the belt, his pants would be down around his ankles by morning. He didn't say that though. Elodie laughed  
“Actually I do! They might be a little small but I have some guys sweatpants under the bed.” she walked over to stand next to him and got down on her hands and knees. As she reached under the bed he had to look away so as not to stare intensely at her… various assets.  
As she rummaged around under the bed he had a thought.  
“ Why do you have men's clothes under your bed?” He immediately regretted it. It sounded so possessive and judgemental coming out of his mouth. Of course, it pained him to think that maybe they belonged to her boyfriend or a hookup or something. But he couldn't judge her on how she lived her life. Not when he'd only been a part of it for a night. Thankfully she didn't seem fazed by the possible double meaning behind his question.  
“ Oh! The couple who lived here before died in a car crash. They both left all of their stuff behind and when we were cleaning it all out I thought I'd save some clothes just in case someone needed to stay here someday.” He sighed in relief at the innocent answer, even as he shuddered at the thought of wearing a dead man's sweatpants. “ AH HA!” She cried out triumphantly from underneath the bed and he involuntarily looked over to where she knelt. That was a mistake. She had removed her jean jacket when they’d entered her room, and now as she leaned down to fit under the bed, the hem of her light green sweater slid slowly farther and farther up her back, revealing the smooth, lightly tanned skin there. He snapped his head away and he felt his throat close up. This was going to be the hardest night of his life… literally.  
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of averting his gaze, she drew up from under the bed, a pair of grey sweat pants in her hand. “ Here you go! The bathroom is down the hall. You can change in there” She handed him the pants and he stood up  
“ Thanks. Sorry for all the trouble”  
“Oh, It's no trouble at all! The bathroom is your left if you're facing the kitchen” he nodded his thanks and headed towards the bathroom to change.  
She was right, they were a little too snug, he thought as he walked back to her room, jeans in hand. He reached for the knob and opened up the door. The sight that met him both was both the most beautiful and horrible thing he’d ever seen. She was standing on the side of the bed farthest from him, facing away from him. She had changed into a pair of cute, little red shorts, and was shirtless as far as he could see except for the black bra straps that crisscrossed her back. He knew he should look away but he couldn't bring himself to. She was so skinny like she had been starving herself for weeks. He could count her ribs from where he stood across the room and her spine was a sharp ridge protruding from her back. Along her shoulder blades were two long, vertical scars like an angel whose wings had been ripped off. At the sound of the door creaking open, she yelped and spun around.  
“ Jesus! You scared the crap out of me” she sighed and laughed. All he could do was stare. She was now standing with her back to the window, the moonlight shining through and illuminating her slight figure. She was clad in her small shorts and a black triangle bra. She may have been unnaturally thin, but she was still a woman. And she had clearly not been an underdeveloped one before she had become sick. He quickly slammed the door shut  
“ Sorry!” he groaned through the door. He couldn't close his eyes without the image of her popping into his head. Lit by moonlight, almost completely bare before him, her hair falling over her shoulders in long, smooth waves. He wanted to punch himself in the face. He had stared at her like a total creep. She must’ve known how beautiful she was. He’d even sworn that he wasn't one of those guys. But of course, deep down he was.  
“You can come in now Elijah,” she said through the door. He sighed and cracked the door open. She was sitting on the bed in a clean, white T-shirt. He stepped into the room and cringed.  
“ I am really sorry. I should've knocked, and the staring was my bad. I’m sorry, again.” he blurted it all out before wincing and daring to meet her eyes. She smiled sadly.  
“ It's alright, I know that people stare. All my nurses do.” he was confused.  
“ What? All of them?” he asked. She looked at him like she thought he was teasing her  
“ Yes. ALL of them. People always stare at the gross, gaunt, scarred girl. I’m prime gossip material” She said it all like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He was stunned. THAT’S why she thought he'd been staring at her? Was she seriously not aware of how attractive she was?  
“ That has nothing to do with it. I was staring at you because I'm a guy who walked in on a hot, topless girl. I don't care if you have scars! And no one would describe you as ‘gross’ if they did then they're idiots” as he spoke he saw that a blush had crept over her cheeks.  
“ O-o-Oh. Okay,” she turned and walked back over to her side of the bed. He watched her as she slid under the sheets under the comforter. She laid her head down on the pillow and looked at him. “ You coming? Or are you content to just stand in the doorway all night like a murderer?” He rolled his eyes and snorted at her.  
“ I'm coming, I'm coming, calm down.” he walked over and drew back the sheets on his side of the bed. As he lay down, he looked over to her. “ I stared at you because you're beautiful. You know that right?” she looked at him but didn't say anything. He dropped his head onto his pillow and turned so that he was facing her. She was still looking at him. As he watched, she reached out a hand and pushed his shoulder so that he was laying on his back, then she scooted closer to him and rested her head on his chest. He hardly dared to breathe and, after he was sure she wasn't going to leave, he wrapped his arm around her waist and laced the fingers of his other hand with hers.  
“I’m very glad I met you,” she whispered against his chest.  
He wondered if she could hear how fast his heart was beating.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow! It's been a hot minute. Things really get on top of you when you are working and studying from home. I hope you are all doing well and this quarantine isn't proving to be too much of a pain in the ass. I'm thankful to have had the time to finish this chapter and hopefully, the weekend will bring rest and some hard-earned free time for all of us!  
> please enjoy and I will post the next chapter ASAP. <3 <3 <3

-Elodie-  
She was running. She knew she was running because she could feel her feet pounding and feared clenched at her heart, the fear of being chased by something deadly. She turned her head to look behind her, and screamed…  
Elodie’s eyes snapped open, her breath was coming short and shallow and she could feel a line of cold sweat running along her hairline. She had that dream almost every night, and every night it was a little bit shorter as if whatever was chasing her was about to catch up. As she lay in the dark and tried to calm her breathing she realized that she had fallen asleep with her head on Elijah's chest. His breathing was deep and steady, as she focused on its rhythm she felt her own breathing slow and deepen. Her hand was still resting on his chest, clasped in his. His other hand was flung out across the unused pillows on her side of the bed. She sighed quietly and tried to extract herself from his limbs as carefully as she could. She slid off of her creaky mattress and grabbed a sweatshirt from the back of the rocking chair. Once she had closed the door successfully without waking him up, she let out a breath and made her way towards the kitchen. She grabbed a water bottle off of the counter and took a swig.  
“ I like him.” she snapped her head around and let out a little squeak. Melanie was sitting up on the couch staring at her.

-Elijah-   
He was surprised that he’d even fallen asleep. Usually, he just used the long hours of the night to think and plan, but that night had been different, his imprint had been asleep on his chest and the only thought in his mind was her. The last thing he remembered thinking was how much younger she looked when she slept.   
It had been the shift in weight that had woken him. He’d been awake the moment she lifted her head from his chest. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing steady. He listened to her pulling on a sweatshirt and walking out of the room. Of course, he could hear exactly what was going on out in the living room. His ears pricked up at the sound of Melanie's playful voice.  
“ I like him,” he smirked, and that grew into a smile when he heard Elodie’s quiet shriek of surprise. Melanie went on, unfazed. “He seems nice, plus he clearly has a thing for you” at this, Elodie snorted.  
“You don't know that Melanie. Besides, it’d never work.” He sank a little deeper into the pillows. He didn't need to be reminded. She went on, “It's not like we could go running off into the sunset and live happily ever after. Trust me, it's better if we just leave it at one, memorable night. Anything else is just tempting fate.” there was that heaviness in her voice again. Part of him knew she was right, he would only make it harder for her if he kept pushing it. But the other, supernatural part of him, was convinced that it was all going to work out. He wanted so badly to turn her before it was too late, but he knew that had to be her choice. Everything was her choice now. In any Imprint relationship, the imprint had all the power. If she told him to walk, he walked. If she said she wanted water, he would get her water. In fact, he probably wouldn't be able to stop himself from doing it. If she told him she wanted seventeen kids and for him to carry her everywhere for the rest of her life, he would do it. That's how it worked. So of course he couldn't turn her without her permission first. She would hate him forever (literally) and he would never forgive himself. Just like he would never forgive himself for doing nothing and letting her die.   
He was pulled out of his despair by Melanie speaking up again.  
“ That's such Bull! I'm sorry but it's true.” She sounded angry. Elodie sighed  
“ Mel I-” Melanie cut her off  
“ No! It is my turn to talk. I have watched you suffer in resigned silence for almost my entire life. First, it was when mom left, then it was when dad stopped talking to us, then it was after the diagnosis, then dad offed himself in the backyard! At some point, you got it in your head that you weren't meant to be happy. You go through the motions and wait for death. It's depressing as fuck! You aren't doing anything wrong okay? No one will blame you for falling in love.” Elodie was quiet for a long time and Elijah was worried that she was going to cry, but when she spoke, her voice was strong and calm.  
“Mel. I love you. You are the great love of my life. Sisterly love has, and will always be enough for me.”  
“ But it doesn't have to be! That’s my whole point. You don't have to settle for ‘enough’. You can go for what you want when you want it.”  
“ No, I CAN'T!! Are you fucking kidding me? How selfish would I be to do that? To start something that I knew I wouldn't be able to finish.” her voice quieted as if she remembered he was in the next room over. “Elijah is nice, and he makes me feel good. If there was nothing standing in my way, of course I’d like him. I mean, have you seen him?” Elijah could feel the heat rising to his cheeks and neck. “ But that doesn't mean that I can pretend that's my reality. My reality is that a month from now, I'm gonna be 6 feet under the ground in a shitty casket and none of this is going to matter to me. Only to the people I leave behind” He heard the squeak of springs and she sat down next to her sister. “ When it comes to you, I don't have a choice Mel. You are attached to me whether I like it or not. Besides, if it wasn't for you i'm not sure i would have held on as long as I have. I hate that you are going to be alone when I’m gone but there isn't anything I can do about it. It’s different with Elijah, it isn't too late for me to save him from that pain and I can't be selfish with him. I don’t know why, but it makes it that much worse if both of you are hurting when i'm gone.” After a contemplative silence, Mel said,   
“ I understand. I just want to see you happy. Throughout our whole lives, we have never been 100% happy. I want that for you” her voice cracked on the last few words. Elodie sighed,  
“I know Hun. I know.” he didn't hear it, but he could almost feel Elodie putting her arm around Melanie “ Promise me something will you?” Melanie hummed in confirmation. “ Promise me that after all of this bullshit. After I'm gone and you've had time to grieve. Get back up and go find that 100% for me okay? That’s what I want for you too.” He heard Melanie sobbing in the back of his mind, but he wasn't listening anymore. He was trying to keep the tears in his eyes from falling.

-Elodie-  
She could feel the sun streaming through her window. It was warming her eyelids and she groaned with exhaustion and annoyance.   
It had been almost an hour before she had returned to bed the night before. She had held her sister while she cried, and eventually Melanie's breath had slowed and her sniffles had subsided. When Elodie had returned to her room, she found Elijah curled on his side, facing away from her. She had sighed with disappointment and slipped into bed, shedding her sweatshirt while she went. Before she could get settled on her side of the bed and fall back to sleep, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. She tensed for a second when she felt Elijah's warm, soft breath on her neck, but then she relaxed. She felt like she was being recharged after a long, draining day. She nestled in closer and he inhaled into her hair. She thought back to her conversation with Melanie. She thought 100% happiness would feel something like this.  
Now, she opened her eyes and squinted in the harsh, dusty sunlight. She stretched her legs out straight and felt that First-stretch- of -the- morning tingle. Once she had relaxed back into the mattress, she scooted out of Elijah's arms and rolled over so that she was looking at him. Of course, she had been infatuated with boys before. She had been a normal girl once upon a time and she’d had a boyfriend or two. But she could safely say that Elijah was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. He was tall, sweet, strong perfection. The strangest part was that he carried himself like a person who knew they were unfairly gorgeous but hated it. He seemed like he was trying to ignore himself most of the time, like he was over it at this point. She smiled at the funny thought. Suddenly she wondered what time it was. They hadn't even gotten home until past midnight, and she had woken up in the middle of the night and had her conversation with Mel. She rolled over and reached for her phone that was charging on the window sill. 1:34. Jesus! Her eyes went wide. They’d been asleep almost all day. She was amazed, she usually slept horribly and couldn't wait to get up and on with her day, but now all she wanted to do was curl up under the covers with Elijah and shut out the real world. But she couldn’t. She had to go grocery shopping. Her neighbor lady (the one who looked in on Mel when Elodie was gone all night) gave her money for groceries in return for Elodie getting her groceries as well. Elodie was happy to oblige the generous old lady.  
She sat up in bed and leaned back against the wall. She reached over and shook Elijah’s shoulder lightly.   
“ Hey, Elijah. It's almost 2 o’clock. Do you have somewhere to be today?” He groaned and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head in her lap.  
“ No. Not unless you count right here” She laughed at the cheesy response and put her hand in his hair, it was soft and thick, with a slight wave to it. He groaned again (a different type this time) and leaned into her touch. She sighed, she wished they could stay like this. But her wishes rarely came true.  
“ Well, you may not have any obligations but I do. I need to go get groceries and drop Mel off at her friend Becca’s house. So you are going to have to move” He let out what sounded almost like a growl, and then he tightened his grip on her waist and rolled so that she was sitting on his chest looking down at him. She snorted and tried to suppress the blush that bloomed on her cheeks at the suggestive position. “ That’s not exactly what I meant.” He laughed and she shook a little with the shaking of his chest. He huffed and his breath was warm on her face.  
“ Fine. But I'll have you know that I am only doing this for you and your ill-timed grocery necessity.” She chuckled and appreciated how cute he looked when he was pretending to be grumpy.  
“ How noble”  
“ It is, Isn’t it? Thank you for noticing.” She rolled off of his chest and she wasn't sure, but he seemed a little disappointed when she stood up and grabbed her sweatshirt off of the rocking chair again. While she pulled her sweatshirt over her head and slipped the sleeves on she realized something.   
“You don't have a car! Oh My God! I just realized. You said yours was squashed, and we took mine back to the apartment.” He nodded as if he had already reached this conclusion. “ Do you want to catch a ride home with me? I can drive you back to your place if you want.” He looked deflated, like a kid who had just been told he had to turn off his favorite movie and do homework instead.   
“ I guess I do need to go home eventually. Sure, I guess I’ll catch a ride with you. You can show off those superior driving skills you were bragging about” She laughed and walked to the door. She turned to ask if he was coming but to her surprise, he was already standing behind her. “ Are we going or not, Marksmoore? Groceries wait for no man.” She shook her head suspiciously.  
“ You are a strange creature Elijah” He snorted and held the door open. As she stepped out she heard him mutter,   
“ You have no idea”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this part, we see that they are both wanting the same thing. The difference is that Elijah knows it might actually happen. The only question is... what's he gonna do about it?


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay! we are finally out the door and on the road! what happens when we through Elijah's family and pack into the mix? Have fun and a happy weekend to all you lovely people!

-Elijah-  
Mornings were never that special for him. He got up, got dressed, and got on with the rest of his day. Never before had he experienced a morning like this. The kind where all you want to do is lock the doors and pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist. With his arms around her and his head in her lap, he had felt every second, every breath, and laugh, and sigh. He was in heaven. He had never really known what he wanted his future to look like. But now he knew, he wanted it to look like that morning had.  
He sat on the couch next to Melanie and pretended to watch whatever loud, clashing action flick was playing on the TV. In reality, he was watching Elodie as she bustled around the kitchen. She seemed like she was feeling better this morning than she had the night before. Her steps were lighter and she wasn't out of breath, despite the fact that she was dashing around the apartment, filling cereal bowls and making coffee, stuffing her purse with her phone and wallet.  
“ Keys keys keys… Dammit! Where did I leave them? Mel? Have you seen my keys anywhere?” Elodie called to her sister from the kitchen.  
“ No you ass. You came home in the dead of night. I didn't exactly have time to take inventory.” Melanie's snark was met with an eye-roll and snort from Elodie  
“ Someone is feeling sassy today.” Melanie stuck her tongue out and flopped back so that she was laying on the couch, her legs curled up beside her.  
“ Yep. That's what happens when your stupid older sister agrees to take you to your friend's house and then proceeds to snuggle with her lover boy until 2 o’clock in the afternoon” Elijah chuckled and got up from where he had been sitting. Elodie shouted from the kitchen.  
“ shut up! You are so annoying. I should make you drive me around! see how you like being an unpaid chauffeur” Melanie rolled her eyes.  
“I'm fourteen El! That would be illegal”  
“ You’ll be fifteen in a week. Then we'll get you your permit and enroll you in Drivers ed. Then I can make you drive me everywhere and call It ‘practice’! Ha! sucker” Elijah was smiling as he grabbed one of the three bowls of cereal and proceeded to tip his head back and drink the whole thing. He hadn't eaten since lunch the day before and he was now realizing just how hungry he was. What he really wanted was a fresh, meaty mountain lion, or even a big deer. But cheerios would have to do for now. “ Jeez. You don't have any manners do you boy? What an animal.” He lowered the bowl and saw Elodie leaning in the doorway of her room smirking at him. His face went red and he set the bowl down, wiping the excess milk from his face.  
“ Sorry. I didn't realize I had an audience” Elodie laughed and walked over to the other bowls sitting on the counter.  
“ I'm kidding. I don't care how you eat your cereal, I'm not your mother.” And with that, she proceeded to grab one of the bowls and tilt it back until she was chugging it, full throttle. He laughed when she lowered it and gulped down the last swig with a contented sigh. She had milk running from the corner of her mouth and he reached up and wiped it away. She was staring at him, smiling. He shook himself out of his happy little stupor to ask her,  
“ So, did you find your keys? Are we blowing this popsicle stand?” she snorted at his outdated use of a phrase.  
“ Yeah, we can head out in a sec. Just let me change, It's Mid- November. Not exactly shorts weather in Washington '' He couldn't help being a little disappointed. Those little shorts were a dream come true for him.  
“ Yeah. Okay, cool. I'll just wait on the couch” she nodded in confirmation and walked off to her room. He sauntered over to where Melanie was still sprawled out on the couch. “Whatcha watching?” She looked up at him and patted the spot next to her. He plopped down on the couch next to her.  
“ 3:10 to Yuma. Have you ever seen it? He shook his head. Being the middle child he rarely ever got to choose what they watched growing up. Plus, his apartment didn't have a TV. He actually kind of hated his apartment. He had bought it so that he could give Charlie space in the big house with their parents, but he hung out over at the main house way more than he did in his own place. It was never meant to be a permanent situation. Just a place to crash until he figured out the next step in his life.  
Melanie gasped “ What? Are you kidding me? This movie is the greatest. It has outlaws and gunfights and an ending that leaves you wanting. Not to mention Russel Crowe is hot as hell. It’s the perfect western” Elijah nodded.  
“ Sounds cool! Except for the Russell Crowe part. He’s not really my type” Melanie laughed and then turned to look at him.  
“ What is your type then? Tall skinny girls with brown hair and terminal diseases?” He had to take a beat to realize what she was asking.  
“Ummm... You could say that. Honestly, I've never really had a type. I’ve never even had a girlfriend.” he hadn't been ashamed of that fact until now. He had just never felt that strongly about someone before. He’d had crushes, and he was sure some of them had been reciprocated, but they had faded and slipped away over time. Melanie was looking at him like he’d just told her he was actually a hobbit and he was there to invite her on an all-expenses-paid trip to The Shire.  
“ You’ve NEVER had a girlfriend? You’re kidding me, right? You’re built like a Greek god on crack. Are you a priest or something?” He laughed and blushed furiously.  
“ No! Nothing like that! I’ve just never had any interest until…”  
“ Until what?” He jumped and whipped his head around. Elodie was standing across the room, purse hung on her arm and her keys in hand. He knew he was staring but he didn't especially care at this point. Elodie looked beautiful, with her hair in a fancy braid that wrapped around her head and fell over her shoulder. She was dressed in black, high waisted jeans and a cropped lilac-colored sweater. He wanted so badly to tell her how nice she looked, to hug her, touch her hair, her face. He had to look away and blink fast to snap himself out of it.  
“ Uh. Nothing. You ready?” He quickly moved past the topic and stood up. Of course, he felt the same way he had last night. He wanted her just as much and needed her even more than before. The only problem was that he didn't know if she felt the same. Being part of the supernatural community and never really having any interest in humans meant that they were still a bit of a mystery to him. From what he could tell, they fell in and out of love quickly and often doubted true love when it was glaring them in the face. They were fragile and complicated and usually tiresome. Now as he looked at Elodie, standing there smiling at him and telling him that she was ready to go, all he could think about was how much he regretted not taking the time to learn how to read humans.  
The car was quiet as they drove to Melanie's friend's house. Elijah was sitting shotgun, watching Elodie as she drove. He couldn't lie, she was a terrible driver. She swerved and went too fast, and seemed to think that stop signs were just a friendly suggestion. There were a couple of times when he clenched the middle console so hard, he was afraid he was going to snap it in half. But she looked absolutely adorable when she drove. Her brow furrowed and the tip of her tongue stuck out from between her pursed lips. She looked like an angry cartoon character.  
Finally, after what genuinely felt like the longest drive of his life, they arrived at the friend's house. The house was actually close to his parent's place, both were located on the rez. Becca (the friend) ran out and squealed with delight when she saw Melanie stepping out of the idling car. The short blonde ran up and hugged the considerably taller, dark-skinned girl. They scampered up the steps onto the porch and Melanie turned to blow Elodie one last kiss before bouncing inside and closing the door. Once the door was closed, Elodie sighed and turned her head to look at him.  
“ Am I a bad person for feeling a little bit relieved when I get to drop her off for someone else to deal with? I love her more than life. But that girl is a firecracker! Hot damn!” He laughed and shook his head.  
“ No. I understand. I am the middle child of three and I would die for my siblings… but If I had to spend every minute of every day with them I would go out of my mind. Plus we get along better when we have our own time” By the time he finished she was already nodding animatedly. It warmed his heart to see her with energy, she was bright and vibrant, but also calm and quietly fierce. She was like a magnetic force pulling him towards her. The more he learned about her, the stronger the pull.  
“ Exactly! You’re totally right. Okay, so where is this house of yours?” he shook his head  
“ Why don’t I drive? It's a little hidden and hard to get to.” This wasn't a lie, the house was pretty secluded. But if he was being totally honest he had other motives for wanting to get behind the wheel, like the preservation of his own sanity. She looked at him suspiciously like she knew what he was thinking, but then she just sighed and popped open her door.  
“ Fine. I guess that makes sense.” He tried to hide his relief at her consenting to let him drive. He slipped out of his seat and ran around to the driver's side. Once they had successfully switched spots and pulled back onto the highway Elijah spoke up.  
“ So, just a quick warning. I have a pretty big family. My dad's side is mostly around because they all live on the rez along with my parents. Then of course there is my mom's side. They live in Alaska but they pop by all the time. You never really know who is going to be at the house at any given time. They are all nice… but they aren't exactly chill. So if you want to stay in the car I totally understand.” He figured she deserved a warning. With the pack, his siblings, his aunts and uncles, his grandparents, and his cousins, the house was almost always full of people who didn't live there. She was quiet for a long time. He started to wonder if she had fallen asleep but when he looked over at her she was just watching him.  
“ I have always wondered what that would feel like” He was confused by her response.  
“ What do you mean? What would feel like?”  
“ A big family. I know it doesn't seem like it. But I used to be pretty good with people. I loved big groups and I have always wanted a big family. The safety that comes with knowing there are always people you can rely on.” he wanted to tell her that if things worked out the way he was hoping they would, she would get her wish. But of course, that would be creepy and confusing. So instead he just said.  
“ Family doesn't always mean the one that you are born into. You could always make your own family... if that's what you wanted.” she stared at him, hurt shining in her eyes. He didn't understand what he’d done wrong until she spoke.  
“ That’s not funny Elijah. Why would you say that?” he ran through his head and when he landed on the answer his eyes went wide. He was such an asshole! He had of course been thinking that she could join his family when he turned her. But to her, it must've sounded like he had been making a joke. Telling the dying girl that she could have a family of her own someday. The anger and hurt in her eyes made him want to jump out of the car and turn himself into roadkill.  
“ Shit, Elodie I’m sorry! I wasn't thinking. I was saying stuff that made sense in my head. I am such an asshole. I’m sorry, I wasn't trying to make an awful joke. I was just being a moron.” her expression softened and to his surprise, she rested her hand on his. After a second she sighed,  
“ It’s okay. I thought you had said it on purpose. Clearly I was wrong, it’s fine really. You don't have to look so worried. Your eyes are wider than our headlights. Calm down!” He realized she was right, he probably looked like a kicked dog.  
“ It's not alright! I’m sorry. Not just for being an ass. But for the fact that you can't have everything you want.” She smiled sadly and squeezed his hand.  
“ It’s not your fault, I just have to learn to want different things” she spoke softly. Like if she said it quietly enough it wouldn't be true. He pulled into the driveway of his parent's house. He could see his mom in the garden with his dad. His dad was kissing her neck while she giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  
Gross.  
The rest of the pack was lounging around on the porch. Drinking beers and ice teas and chatting lazily. Elijah turned the car off and swiveled to face Elodie.  
“ What if you didn't have to? What if there was a way that I could guarantee you a future? A long, healthy life? Would you want it?” He could hear how desperate he sounded. All he needed was a yes. One yes and he could sink his teeth into her neck and be with her forever. Her eyes were wide at his almost manic tone. She opened her mouth to speak...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowza!! Cliffhanger! what will she say? you find out tomorrow? (or if you're reading this in the distant future, right after turning to the next page)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okie Dokie!! We have now been introduced to a new character... please welcome Bennet Tahoma! He enjoys talking, swimming, and long walks on the beach. He has not imprinted... yet. We will also be seeing a little bit of Paul and there will be mentions of Quill and Embry. I am not trying to mess with the original storyline so Quill will stay imprinted on Claire and of course, Paul and Rachel will be imprinted too. Happy reading and I hope you are having a great day!

-Elodie-   
What the hell was he talking about? He was looking at her like everything hung on her answer to this question. She opened her mouth and was about to give him her answer when there was a tapping on the window. To her chagrin, she shrieked and grabbed Elijah's arm, whipping her head to see who was at the window.

-Elijah-  
I growled under my breath. This little fucker. Bennet was grinning and waving at Elodie through the window. Ben was one of the younger wolves, he had just turned sixteen and had phased for the first time the day before Halloween. That had been a long night. Of course Elijah loved his pack, but he definitely felt more responsibility for bennet than he did for the other wolves. Bennet was brave and loud, always crashing into things and breaking bones. He was a walking, talking disaster (emphasis on the talking). Bennet could talk for hours about nothing in particular and every room he walked into, no matter what the crowd was like, he walked out loved by all. Elijah thought of him as a little brother, which meant that some of the time he wanted to kick his ass. Like right now for instance.   
“ What do you want Ben?” Bennet was grinning like a crazy person, and Elodie looked like she was about to lock her door.  
“ Umm… Elijah? Who is this?” she was whispering only to him, but he knew that Bennet could hear her too. Out of all of the wolves, Bennet was the least discreet when it came to his abilities.   
“ I’m Ben! It's nice to meet you.” He was still talking through a closed window and his voice sounded muffled. Elijah sighed in annoyance, he guessed that Elodie’s answer would have to wait a little longer.   
“ Don't worry about him El, He’s a jackass, but he's harmless” Bennet frowned in mock horror.  
“ Do my ever loving ears deceive me? A jackass? How could you bro? How. Could. You?” He clutched his heart and stumbled back. Elijah rolled his eyes, but he was pleased when Elodie laughed and opened her door completely. She stepped out and held out her hand to Bennet.   
“ It’s nice to meet you Ben, I’m Elodie” a chorus of ‘oooooooh’s’ rose up from the porch as the pack laughed and teased him from afar. He was sure that Alice had informed his parents and the rest of his family about him imprinting by now. There was no information left unshared in his family. He glared at the pack and let his eyes flare gold for a second. A silent command to shut the fuck up. They all turned back around immediately and busied themselves in their own conversations. Despite not wanting the responsibility of second in the pack, he had to admit that it came with its perks. When he turned back to Elodie, he saw that Bennet had his arm around her shoulders and was pointing to everyone individually. He guessed that he was introducing everyone. His parents kept their backs turned and Elijah was silently grateful to them. It would have been difficult to explain to Elodie why his mom looked nineteen and his dad could have passed as his brother.   
“ Alright Ben, let the girl breathe!” Elijah smiled as Paul came jogging over and pulled Ben off of Elodie. Despite being part of the Uley pack, Paul was always around as he was one of Jacob’s closest friends. He had almost completely mastered his anger after imprinting on Rachel, and now looked out for other wolves who were struggling with the same things that he did. He was still a pain in the ass sometimes, and was always picking fights with Jake, Quil and Embry. Elijah knew that he did it to get some of the pent up aggression out and he suspected that the other members of the pack knew as well, because they never shied away from an argument with Paul, even though it almost always ended in a wolf wrestling match. The older wolf nodded to Elijah and walked Bennet back towards the porch, smacking him on the back of the head as he went. Elodie was still chuckling when she turned back to Elijah and took his hand again.  
“ Ben is a cutie. I think him and Melanie would get along” Elijah pulled Elodie closer and released her hand to wrap his arm around her waist. He chuckled,  
“ I don't think Bennet would know what hit him.” Elodie laughed and laid her head on his chest. He smiled and looked down at her. “ So what’s next for you?” she huffed, and groaned.  
“ Like you said, groceries wait for no man and neither does Mrs. Lancaster. I should probably get going, I've already kept her waiting long enough.” Elijah tightened his grip on her waist.   
“ I don't want you to go.” He knew he sounded like a whiny little kid. The guys were never going to let him live this down. Elodie wrapped both her arms around his waist so that she was hugging him and laid her head on his chest again.   
“ I don't want to either. Trust me. But I do have a life, and despite how boring it is, I have to get on with it eventually.” she paused for a minute before whispering to him. “ I’m actually really tired. This is more stimulus than I'm used to and I need to lie down soon.” That was enough to convince him to let go.   
“ I don't like that you have to drive yourself… you're sure I can't give you a ride or something? We can take one of these guys' cars and then you can just come back and sleep here. I'll go pick up Mel when it's time.” she looked like she was considering it for a second and he was hoping she would say yes. But she shook her head,  
“ I'll be fine. I’ve gotta get home anyways, the apartment is a mess and I need to bring Mrs. Lancaster her food. I’m sorry.” He smiled even though he was disappointed.   
“ It’s fine. Just be careful okay? I don't know who told you, you were a good driver, but they were lying.” She scoffed and smacked his chest.  
“ Rude! Besides, I passed the test didn't I?” He snorted.  
“ I'm sure the instructor was distracted by your pretty face. You have an unfair advantage!” Her face flushed an adorable shade of red and she rolled her eyes.   
“ Whatever. You’re crazy, I’m going now! You can't keep stalling me!” she was joking, but that was exactly what he’d been doing. She turned and started walking around the car towards the drivers side. At the last second he stopped her and pulled her back into his arms. All jokes aside, he needed to be as close to her as he could for one more second, because he knew the moment she left he would feel so empty and he needed as fresh of an image of her as he could get, it was the only way he be able to keep himself from running after her car and chasing her all the way home. After a surprised second, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. Finally, after a little bit longer than was necessary, she pulled away and opened her door. He stepped up behind her so that she was pressed against his chest and leaned down to place a light kiss on her cheek.  
“ I’ll see you soon Elodie,” and with that he walked away. She stood frozen for a second, and then she stepped into the car and he watched as his heart drove away.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay. In this chapter, we introduce an antagonist (you knew it had to happen eventually). Zach Lahote is here to stir up some trouble!!! We also get a brief look into some of the other imprints relationship (cuteness overload). Please enjoy and read till the end. This is an important chapter. Lots of love!

-Elijah-   
He turned around with a sigh to find every single pair of supernatural eyes fixed on him. He smiled “ Go ahead. Do your worst!” before he could even finish speaking the yard erupted in whoops and howls. Wolves ran up to him and lifted him up on their shoulders, he laughed and whooped right along with them. Someone turned music on in the house and his parents were watching him from the garden, laughing and smiling. Quil jogged up to him and smacked him on the back  
“ Welcome to the club kid!” he yelled over the din of noise. Elijah realized then, he was one of the imprinted wolves now. Of course, all the wolves were respected and cared for by one another, but when they were all hanging out in big groups or partying, there were two sections, the imprints and the lone wolves (pun intended). Up until now Elijah had always hung out with the other un-imprinted wolves, drinking, and wrestling and making fun of the imprints. They would mock them and their cringey sweetness. It wasn't until now that he understood the appeal of laying with your girl on the beach, just talking. Rather than partying and dancing and raging.   
Now, as he thought about it, he cracked a smile. He was sad to be separated from his friends who were un-imprinted, they no longer shared that. But looking at Bennet, who was yelling and grinning just as widely as everyone else, he knew that his packmates weren't going to resent him for this. They were his family, and you didn't resent family for being happy.  
He shot a grin back at Quil.  
“Thanks, man! Glad to be here!” Quill laughed and ran back to where Claire was waiting for him (at 14, she was still a little too young to have romantic feelings for Quill, but she was old enough that he had definitely developed them for her). Jared was already sitting there, Kim in his lap laughing and bouncing along with the music, he was rolling his eyes but the smile on his face and the way his arms wrapped around her waist tightly showed his true feelings. Elijah glanced through the window on the side of the house that looked into the kitchen. Rachel was in the kitchen, probably making something delicious, and Paul was sitting at the island, watching her like a man possessed. Elijah smiled, a couple days ago he would’ve found their love a little sickening and immensely cheesy, but now he understood.   
“ You’re screwed man!” He turned his head and the pack quieted. The music turned off and Zach Lahote staggered forward, a bottle of whiskey carried loosely in his hand. Zach was Paul’s cousin and had phased a little over a year ago. He shared Paul's insane temper, but he didn't have an imprint to calm his fire. Not to mention he was wasted most of the time. His dad had died a couple months before Zach’s first phase, and ever since then, Zach had been a mess. He drank all day and antagonized everyone. He had joined the Uley pack at Paul’s request but had since been flakey and bitter towards all of his packmates and the other wolves. He was also possibly the most sexist man Elijah had ever met, he had almost gotten himself killed multiple times by insulting Rachel, or telling Kim that she was better seen and not heard. It had come to a peak a couple months ago when the pack had a bonfire at La push beach. It had been drawing towards the end of the night and most of the wolves had gone home. The imprints were still out, laying together on blankets and watching the stars. Quil and Claire had been swimming in the frigid water and running around. Claire had matured over the years and was a very fast runner. She did cross country and track at her high school and excelled at both. Quil had been humoring her, letting her get a good lead on him before turning on the real speed and tackling her into the sand. Elijah had stayed at the request of his parents and was stoking the fire when Zach had stumbled down from the parking lot.   
“ Mind if I join you?” He had slurred his words, but he didn't seem especially on edge that night, so paul had lifted his head from Rachels lap and said,  
“ Do whatever you want Zach, just try not to be an asshole. We are having a nice night” Zach had waved him off and grumbled his agreement. He sat down in the sand and stayed silent for a while, just listening to the murmured conversations between couples and nursing his beer. Claire's shrieks of delight came from the water as Quil splashed her repeatedly and then dove under the water and emerged with her sitting on his shoulders.  
Zach scoffed and grunted from where he sat by the fire. Jake was clearly annoyed by his presence and growled.  
“ What’s your problem man?” Elijah’s mom lifted her head from her husband's shoulder and whispered  
“ Easy Jake. Come on, don't start anything” Jacob turned to look at her  
“ Babe, I’m just asking him why he comes down here just to scoff and make a scene. I don't get it. Honestly” Ness nodded her consent and looked to Zach as well. Elijah could tell Zach was gearing up to be a dick. He stood up and swayed on his feet.  
“ It's just gross man! I mean you are all sitting here letting your women tell you what to do, like they are the ones in charge, letting them pat your heads and tell you when to sit and when to stay. They're the bitches of the pack, they should be listening to you!” Paul was on his feet in a second, his nails elongating into claws and his eyes glowing orange. Sam wasn't far behind him, jumping up from where he had been snuggling with Emily a second earlier.  
“ Watch your mouth, Zach! Nobody here cares what you think!” Zach laughed bitterly,   
“ Well good for you! Cause I'm not done. It’s bad enough that you guys are sitting here, letting these bitches call all the shots, but look at Quill! The perv is messing around with a fucking freshman and you guys don't even care! He’s in love with a Fucking child! How gross is that?” Quil moved so fast that none of them could’ve stopped him even if they wanted to. One second he was in the water, laughing and splashing around with Claire, and the next he was launching over the bonfire, phasing as he went and landing on Zach's chest as a huge, chocolate brown wolf. He snarled viciously in Zach's face, his canines inching closer and closer to his neck.   
“ Quil! Stop!” Claire was sprinting from the beach, her soaking wet T-shirt clinging to her, her eyes wide with fear. Quil turned his giant, furry head towards her, and let out a whine. Claire shook her head “He’s not worth it! Don’t listen to him! Don’t let him make you do something you’ll regret. He’s a drunk asshole! You are so much better than this” Quil whimpered and then turned his head back to Zach, the wasted man was trembling like a coward. Zach rarely phased and therefore it was not his first instinct when faced with an attack. Quil locked eyes with him and let out an ear-splitting roar, right in his face. Then he turned and trotted over to Claire without a second glance. Claire wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his fur. He let out a little, wolfy sigh and his body visibly relaxed. “ Good job! I'm so proud of you” Claire whispered reassurement into the big wolf's fur and kept holding him. Meanwhile, Zach scrambled up from where he had been laying in the sand.   
“ Y-you guys are psychotic! You’re just going to let him do that to me, Paul? What the hell?” Paul shrugged and pulled Rachel to him with one arm.   
“ You could have fought back if you’d phased. But you didn't, you aren't a real wolf, you’re just an angry coward. Honestly, if Quill hadn't done it I would've attacked you myself. Now leave!” Zach tried to run but fell back into the sand. He got up and stalked back to his car, muttering obscenities the whole way.   
After that night, they hadn't seen him for months. Everyone just assumed he’d either completely given up trying to be a part of a pack and resigned himself to being the omega, or he’d drank himself to death. But here he was, apparently, he just liked to show up to ruin other people's happiness. Elijah could see Quil out of the corner of his eye, he was standing and growling, the veins on his neck straining like he was trying as hard as he could not to lose his shit. Claire noticed this of course and grabbed his hand,   
“ C’mon Quil. Let's go to the beach.” Quil looked at her, pain evident in his eyes. The pain of someone who was completely torn between defending what he loved, and obliging her.  
“ Please. Please Quil.” That did the trick. His growls subsided and he gripped her hand tighter.  
“ Yeah, you're right. Let’s go.” They walked off in the opposite direction, over the dike, and towards the beach. Elijah was glad for that, Claire may have been young, but the responsibility of being an imprint was not wasted on her. She was always looking out for Quil and helping him choose to do the right thing. Elijah turned back to Zach,  
“ What the hell are you talking about man?” Zach laughed and walked over to the porch, he sat down on the step and glared at Elijah   
“ You’re such an idiot. That girl is never going to love you back. She doesn't even know you. Besides, even if she did” he hiccuped and wiped the side of his mouth before continuing  
“ even if she did fall for you in the next few weeks, she's dead meat. You’re either gonna have to turn her against her will and she’ll hate you forever, or you let her die and hate yourself.” Before Elijah could start to yell at Zach, Jacob was at his side.  
“ You need to leave Zach. This does not concern you.” Zach rolled his eyes  
“ Oooh! The powerful Jacob Black is telling me to fuck off. I’m shaking in my shoes” He laughed at his own terrible joke. “ I’m just telling you what the rest of them won’t kid. That girl was DOA. You should get out while you can. You’ll be fine, she's not that cute. Looks more like a corpse than a woman.” Elijah could feel the rage clamp down on his heart before it happened. He shoved his dad off of him and let the rage flow over him like being reforged in fire. When he re-opened his eyes he was looking through the eyes of a giant, black wolf. Zach just laughed and raised his hands, “ Fine, fine. I'm going. You've got bigger problems now kid!” he pointed past Elijah and walked back over the dike towards God-knows-where. Elijah looked over his furry shoulder, confused. And then he froze. Standing in the driveway, his jeans clasped in her hand, was Elodie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM!   
> that is all I have to say for myself.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay. This is a sad one I'm not gonna lie. There is a lot going on in this chapter and I tried to pace it as well as I could. I'm sorry if it sounds a little jumbled. I really hope you enjoy it and I can't wait to keep posting!!

-Elodie-  
She had thought about that kiss all the way to the grocery store and all the way home. His lips had been so soft, and the kiss he’d placed on her cheek had been so light that it would've been considered chaste to someone watching. But the power and desire beneath the restrained brush of his lips on her cheek had left her skin burning.  
She closed the door of her apartment and sighed happily. She didn't even feel out of breath from the stairs, that was how good she was feeling. She didn't know what was happening to her, she had always been cynical of love. She believed that it was just a construct that people tried to fit into by ignoring the fact that they were actually unhappy. But now, as she thought about Elijah’s arms around her, she felt like she was about to shriek with giddiness. All she wanted was to drive back to his house as fast as she could and jump into his arms and shower his face with kisses. So she couldn't believe her luck when she walked into her room and saw his jeans laying at the foot of her bed. She hadn’t hesitated to grab them and jump right back into her car. She rolled her windows down and breathed in the crisp fall air. Her heart felt lighter than it had in years. She pulled into his driveway and turned off the car. She tried to compose herself a little bit so that she didn't seem too eager when she saw him. She checked her hair in the mirror. It was falling out of its braid because of the wind from the drive over. She pulled out her hair tie completely and ran her hands through her hair, it was clean and the braid had left it wavy and soft. She had put on a little bit of makeup before leaving the house the second time. She hadn't had a reason to look good in so long. It was stressful but it also felt good, like she hadn’t known whether she could still put in the effort or not. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyelashes were curled at the ends and lightly covered in mascara, and she had a light pink lipgloss painted on to her lips. Her face used to be fairly beautiful. She’d been blessed with full lips and high cheekbones, but cancer had turned her face sharper and harsher. She closed the mirror with a sigh, it was the best she could do. She stepped out of the car and grabbed Elijah’s jeans off of the passenger seat. When she turned back to the house, she heard yelling and she froze. She didn't want to walk in on a private conversation, but then again how private could it be? There had been almost 20 people on the lawn when she'd been over less than an hour ago. She steeled herself and walked down the driveway until the line of trees gave way and she had a full view of the house. What she saw shocked her down to her very core.

She had emerged from the trees just in time to see Elijah shove a man away from him before roaring like an animal, throwing his head back, and changing into a gigantic black wolf. He was easily a head taller than an average man, and his eyes were golden and full of rage. The man standing in front of him laughed and said something she couldn't quite hear before pointing to her and walking away. The wolf turned and when his eyes met hers she saw him flinch. He started towards her and she scrambled back, she started to run as fast as she could back towards her car and was getting close when her legs gave out and she slammed into the ground, her lungs were burning and she tried to get up but the moment she sat up straight she started to cough violently. She pulled her hands away from her face; they were covered in blood. The last thing she saw was the giant black wolf sprinting around the trees and running towards her, as it ran she watched it start to shift back into a man (a completely naked man) and when he reached her he slid to the ground by her and cupped her face in his hands. She could vaguely hear him yelling but she wasn't close enough to consciousness to understand him. All she could make out through her ever blackening vision was his face, his beautiful face. She lifted a blood soaked hand up towards him and quietly rasped, her throat raw from the coughing and blood.  
“ Elijah?”  
And then her vision went black.

-Elijah-  
He hated himself. He hated Zach. He was going to kill Zach. He wanted to kill himself.  
These were the thoughts going through his head when he saw Elodie standing in the driveway. He involuntarily moved towards her, to comfort her or himself he didn't know, but the moment he moved she seemed to snap out of her terrified daze. She turned around and started running. She was surprisingly fast. He immediately broke out in a run after her. As he ran he shifted back into his human form, rounding the corner on two legs instead of four. When he saw her on the ground he started to run faster. He didn't care that he was buck ass naked or that all of his family and friends could see him. All he could seem to care about was the blood that was running from the side of her mouth and coating her hands. He slid to the ground next to her, feeling the gravel tear into his shins. He didn't care. Her eyes were barely open as he lifted her head as gently as he could.  
“ Elodie! El! Come on. You’re okay. You’re gonna be okay.” He was half yelling and half sobbing. He could feel hot tears rolling down his cheeks. He couldn't lose her, not like this.  
“ HELP! Somebody Help me!” His Dad was rounding the corner, the rest of the pack hot on his heels. His mom was in the back of the group, he could just barely hear her sobs over his own. He was still yelling for help when he saw Elodie’s small, thin hand reach up towards him. He snapped his head back to her face and met her eyes. She opened her mouth, fresh blood running from the corners as she whispered, almost too quiet for his supernatural hearing to pick up on.  
“ Elijah?” The confusion and pain in her voice tore his heart in half. He grabbed her outstretched hand as her eyes slid shut. He pressed kisses all over her fingers, her palm, down her wrist.  
“ It’s okay. You’re going to be okay I promise.” By that time the pack had reached him and as he rose from the ground, Elodie in his arms, his mom took control of the situation.  
“ Okay everyone! This is fine. Elijah, take her upstairs to your old room, put her in bed.” He nodded numbly and started walking towards the house. He could hear her shouting orders at the rest of the pack and was grateful for her initiative. But he wasn't really paying attention. All he could see was the fallen angel in his arms. The only thing keeping him from completely breaking down was listening to the faint beat of her heart. He knew that if that beating stopped he would die. Whether from grief or shock he didn't know. But he kept going, because as long as her heart was beating, he would fight to keep it that way.  
Somehow he made it to his room. He laid her down on his bed and pulled on a pair of shorts. After he was decent from the waist down, he knelt beside her and took both of her hands in his, he laid his head down on her stomach and murmured anything and everything he could think of that might help her stay with him. He prayed even though he didn't believe in God, he told her about imprinting, and wolves, and vampires. He told her how beautiful she was, how funny and strong and awe inspiring. And lastly he told all the things that they could do together if she pulled through. He promised her that if she woke up he would tell her how he felt, he would tell her everything. They could travel, get married, have bonfires on the beach with the wolves, introduce Melanie to everyone. He told her that he would turn her, if that's what she wanted, and then they could be together for the rest of their lives, and he would never let anything or anyone hurt her ever again. The whole time he whispered to her, her breathing grew stronger and stronger.  
People came and went. He paid them no heed. Eventually, after hours of agonizing, crying and whispered conversations, Carlisle arrived along with Bella, Edward, and even his older sister Izzy. The only one he cared about was Carlisle. He paced as Carlisle checked her vitals, hooked her up to machines and stuck her with an I.V. As soon as he was done he turned to Elijah.  
“ Is she going to be okay? Please Grandpa Carlisle. I can't take anymore bad news right now.” Carlisle smiled sadly at him.  
“ She will be okay for now. The shock and physical exertion were too much for her body to handle. But with the I.V. that i've inserted, she should be okay. But she needs to rest. Another attack like that could very well be her last.” Elijah nodded and breathed what felt like the first breath he taken in hours.  
“ Thank you Carlisle. Thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me” Carlisle patted his shoulder  
“ Of course Son. But you should rest now too. You look like you’ve been to hell and back” Elijah chuckled dryly  
“ I basically have” Carlisle gave him another wise, sad smile and left the room. As soon as he was gone, Elijah sank to his knees beside Elodie’s bed. “ I knew you could do it. There was a second there where you had me worried, but I was pretty confident for most of it” the joke fell flat as she lay there, unresponsive. He could feel tears running down his cheeks again. God, he’d never cried this much in his entire life, what the hell was this girl doing to him? He took her hands in his again and rested his head on her stomach. “ I know this is a lot to ask of you. But if you could wake up soon that would really be great. I have so much to tell you. And I can't do it while you're sleeping. So when you’re ready, I’ll be here” He yawned and let his eyes slide shut, his head still resting on her stomach. “ I’ll always be here. Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, a lot going on. In the next chapter, we'll get to see a little bit from some other character's perspectives.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a short little chapter that is showing what's going on outside of the dramatic little 'Elojah' bubble (that's what I'm calling them). this chapter is to give you some insight into what the other characters think of this whole situation and to help us process all the information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, I'm thinking of doing a couple of chapters of Claire and Quil here and there. Their relationship is just so cute and I want to add in more storylines and subplots as the story goes on. My next chapter might be a Quil POV. Hope y'all are enjoying it so far.

-Jacob-  
He didn't know exactly what to feel. On one hand, his son had found the purest kind of happiness, the kind that Jacob had always hoped he would. On the other hand, that happiness could cost him everything.   
The pack had been pacing for almost an hour before Jacob had finally snapped and yelled at them all to clear out. Now it was just him, Ness, Carlisle, Bella, Edward, his son Charlie, and his daughter Izzy. They were all sitting around the kitchen table, Ness had made tea and coffee and was passing out the cups as people talked in hushed tones. Once she had passed out all of the drinks, she came over and sank into Jakes lap, leaning back into him exhaustedly. He knew how she felt. Every time he closed his eyes all he could see was his son’s tear streaked face as he cradled his bleeding imprint in his arms. Renesmee elbowed him and he realized that Izzy was talking to him.  
“ Dad? Hello?” He looked up at her  
“ Yeah? Sorry Honey, what were you saying?” she smiled and asked him again.  
“ Do you think that the girl will choose to turn? She doesn't want to die right?” he opened his mouth, but it was Edward who answered, his voice calm and soft  
“ No she does not. But she doesn't let herself entertain the notion that it isn't her only option.” Jacob was surprised that Edward was sharing her thoughts, he usually kept quiet about what other people were thinking out of respect for their privacy. “She has come to terms with her future… although it seems that things have changed since she met Elijah. I'm not 100% sure but she seems to be conflicted.” Bella sighed, and placed her hand on Edwards.   
“ I understand how she feels. It isn't easy being a human in a supernatural world. It feels a bit like being blind in a room with a hundred people who can see perfectly. She is probably completely confused. Her brain is telling her that she’s crazy and she should just stick with what she knows to be true. But her heart is telling her that she doesn't have all the information.” Jake thought about this for a second. Then he spoke,  
“ I understand that this is hard for her. But what about Elijah? Can we really let him get himself into something like this? If it doesn't work out it could kill him. You saw how he was today. He hasnt left her side, hasn't eaten or drank anything. We can't just stand by and let him kill himself” Ness was looking at him worriedly. It was the look she got when they disagreed.   
“ We can't stop him babe. That's not our place. He has to figure this out for himself. Forcing him to leave her won't make him happier, he’ll always wonder what would have happened if he’d stayed, he’ll resent us forever.” He knew she was right. She was always right when it came to their kids. There was nothing that brought him more joy than watching how amazing she was with their children. The fact that she could even get pregnant was a miracle. She was literally his miracle. He sighed,  
“ You’re right. I know you are, but someone needs to talk to him. We won't force him to do anything he isn't comfortable with. But he will never even entertain the idea on his own. Someone needs to bring the issue to his attention” Ness nodded in agreement and put her arm around his shoulder. After everyone contemplated the idea for a while, Izzy stood up and spoke,  
“ I’ll do it. He always liked me best anyways” Charlie glared at her  
“ I resent that Izz. You're just chattier than me.” Izzy rolled her eyes.  
“ Yeah. Chattier and more likeable. You’ve had one friend your whole life and all you guys do is geek out about books.” Ness cleared her throat in warning. Izzy stuck her tongue out and stalked up the stairs to try and talk some sense into her other brother.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter from Izzy's point of view. I am trying to show the severity of this situation through eyes other than Elijah's ( I hope it's working a little bit). This is a short one but it gives some closure as far as where the family stands on the relationship. Next, I'm going to write a little bit about Quil and Claire! I'm pretty excited to introduce a new storyline! Hope ya'll enjoy and have a great week.

-Izzy- 

She hadn't realized just how much she’d missed her house until she’d had a minute alone to look around. Everything had been so hectic since she’d arrived with her grandparents. They’d gotten the call during a hunt. Izzy had been studiously following the scent of a moose when Carlisle had called her back to the house. After they’d arrived she’d been too worried about her brother to really appreciate the fact that she was back home. Now as she walked up the stairs, she trailed her hand along the railing, savoring every notch and groove. Leaving forks had been one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do, she’d had to choose between her family and her passion. After a long deliberation period she had chosen passion, she wasn't sure if her mom was over it yet, it hadn't been a pretty departure. There had been begging and crying and anger. She had cried for days after arriving in Alaska. Her mom had always been her confidant, her best friend, and her partner. But the difference was that Nessie’s passion was her children. But her children wanted things out of life that even she couldn't give them. For as long as Izzy could remember, she’d wanted to be a healer. It had always seemed like a pipe dream considering that human blood made her mind go blank and her mouth water. But with Carlisle's help, she had mastered her thirst so completely that she didn't even recognize herself. She could stand in a room of amputees and want nothing but to help them become whole again. She was endlessly grateful to her great grandfather for this gift. But now that she had the means to pursue her passion, she had to refocus her efforts on helping her family, starting with her stupid younger brother Elijah. She took a deep breath before opening the door to his room.

It was heartbreaking to see her cool, collected little brother falling apart like this. He was asleep, sitting on the floor, with his arm draped over his imprint and his head resting on her midriff. Izzy had always secretly admired Elijah. He had this way of stepping into a room and immediately knowing what his role was in any given situation. He was the most reliable, family-oriented man she’d ever met. Where she was ambitious, he was the caretaker. He had always been strong enough to carry his own burdens and then some. Now, as she looked at his tear-stained face, she realized that some burdens were too heavy even for his broad shoulders. 

“ Elijah” she walked over and poked him in the side. His eyes slowly opened.

“ Izzy?” she rolled her eyes.

“ Yes, loser. Wake up, we have to talk.” He shifted so that he was looking at her, one arm still draped over the skinny, dark-haired girl on the bed.

“ What do you want?” he asked warily.

“ I just need to talk to you. Come on, lets go outside” He shook his head immediately

“ No.” there was no room for debate in his eyes. She tried not to act too exasperated, male wolves were always the most stubborn right after they’d imprinted, she’d dealt with enough of them to know that much. 

“ Fine” She conceded, plopping down on the floor across from him. “ I’ll start. What the hell are you thinking? Seriously, did you get kicked in the head by a horse while I was gone?” He was still tired and therefore slow to process her interrogatory questioning.

“ I'm confused. You’re mad at me?” the way he said it made her regret being so confrontational. He’d been through the wringer today, he didn't need more emotional pummeling. The next time she spoke she attempted to keep her voice soft and even keel.

“ No, I’m not mad. I am uneasy. I don’t think that you are looking at this situation analytically.” He interrupted her with a scoff

“ Yeah. No shit Izzy. I just imprinted and then proceeded to scare my imprint so badly that she started coughing blood and almost died. I have no interest in analytical right now.” he was angry, not at her, she knew that. But he was definitely frustrated, with the situation, with his own helplessness, with the looming future, she wasn't sure which. 

“ Listen, Elijah. I know that you are struggling with a lot right now, and I don't want to make things harder for you.” she paused, trying to figure out the right way to phrase this. Hopefully in a way that wouldn't end with him ripping her head off. “ All I'm saying is that you don't seem to appreciate the reality of your situation. You're in an impossible position, but that doesn't mean you don’t have choices.” She took a deep breath, “ The family thinks (and I agree) that you should take Elodie home and cut off contact with her. It’s what's best for both of you” Elijah just stared at her. Then his eyes started to glow with anger. When he spoke, his voice was so terribly calm that Izzy felt herself shrink under its immensity.

“ Go downstairs. I will be down in a minute.” she was confused.

“ Elijah wha-” His snarl cut her off and sent her running back towards the door and down the stairs to where the family was sitting, looking worried. They’d been listening. She walked over to the table and sat down. They all sat in silence and listened to the sound of Elijah kissing the girl's forehead and opening the door of his room. He walked down the stairs slowly, deliberately. Once he was standing in front of the kitchen table their mom opened her mouth to speak, but a look from Elijah had her shutting her mouth and placing her hands back in her lap.

He inhaled deeply like he knew if he didn't get a handle on himself things could go very badly, very quickly. When he spoke, the killing calm had been replaced with a simmering sort of anger.

“ I understand what you are all trying to tell me, I’m not an idiot. Now I need you to understand what I’m saying.” He paused and waited for them all to nod. “If you ever do anything to harm me and Elodie's connection in any way, I will not hesitate to take Elodie and her sister and travel as far away from you as possible. This isn't a threat, it's a promise. In the last two days, my world has changed irrevocably. It is not a perfect new world, and yes I am painfully aware of the situation I'm in. but there isn't a single atom in my being that would ever consider leaving Elodie to go through this alone. So now you have a choice. You can accept that my new reality is not yours to shape and change to your will and you can support me in my efforts to save the girl I love. Or you can continue to try and convince me to give up, and resign yourself to the fact that your opinion no longer matters in my mind. I am an adult, and I'm going to live my life in the way that I know is right for me and the people I love, and no matter what you may think, being with Elodie is the only right option for me. You of all people should understand that Dad.” He looked to their father. Jake was nodding solemnly, showing that he understood what his son was trying to say. Izzy looked around the table and saw that every single person in the room seemed to accept Elijah's terms. She couldn't truthfully say that she wasn't still worried, but she could support him if that's what he needed. God knows he’d done enough supporting of other people to last a lifetime, they owed him this much at least. He acknowledged their nods with one of his own. “ Thank you. I appreciate this. I am going to need it before this is over one way or another.” Ness stood up from Jake’s lap. She walked over and wrapped her arms around her son. 

“ We love you so much. We just want what’s best for you. You deserve to be happy baby” He wrapped his arms around the significantly smaller woman.   
“ I love you too mom” they separated and Ness went back to Jake. Izzy smiled at her brother, he returned her smile and she was relieved that the darkness had faded from his eyes. 

“ Elijah?” Everybody in the room heard the small whisper from behind the door of Elijah’s bedroom on the second floor. Elijah's eyes lit up and his head whipped around. He was gone before any of them could blink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, what happened when Claire took a fuming Quil to la push beach??? Has Quil been friend-zoned? Or is Claire a little more interested than everyone thinks?


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the long-awaited Quil and Claire chapter!! Be warned children, it gets a little bit spicy and will continue to get spicier as things progress. I really hope you enjoy this! I had a ton of fun writing it!

-Quil- 

He was almost 100% sure that there was actual steam coming from his ears. Zach pissed him off to no end. First, it was his accusations about Quil and Claire’s relationship, then it was pissing all over Elijah’s happiness. Quil couldn't stop mulling it over again and again in his head as he sat on the beach and watched Claire skipping stones. She was really fucking good at it, he was good to of course, but that was due to his superior strength and precision. Claire had no supernatural advantages and she still out-skipped him every day. Just watching her was helping him to calm down. She skipped a rock and then fist-pumped when it skipped far and flawlessly. She had definitely made a good call in getting him away from the Black's place before things escalated. He couldn't count the number of times she stopped him from doing something he would have regretted. She was both his voice of reason and the reason he pushed himself. He could still recall perfectly the day that she had jumped off of the cliffs with him; she'd been eleven and she had shrieked like a banshee and clutched his hand so hard she would have broken an average man’s bones. The memory made him smile even through his frustration. 

Claire came over and plopped down next to him in the sand.

“ So what was today about? Why do you let him get to you like that?” there was no judgment in her voice or disappointment. Claire was the only person he’d ever met who truly withheld judgment until someone asked for her opinion. She asked him out of curiosity and a desire to help him be better. She was a different breed. He groaned and laid back in the sand.

“ I don’t know! He just gets on my nerves. What he said about me at the bonfire that night really stuck in my head.” she nodded.

“ Do you want to hear what I think?” He turned his head to look at her, she was sitting cross-legged next to him in the sand. He grinned at her.

“ of course I do! My five brain cells can barely string together a sentence. You're the only reason I ever make a smart decision.” She laughed and rolled her eyes.

“ It’s honestly sad how true that is Quil!” They both laughed and he relaxed significantly. People like Zach couldn't hurt him if he was around Claire. She smiled and started to bury her feet in the wet sand. “ first of all, you know that it isn't true right? I don't think that. I know that you don't like me like that… right?” he nodded but his heart clenched a little bit at the lie. He wasn't sure, but she almost looked disappointed. Claire had been an early bloomer if ever there was one. By the time she’d turned thirteen, she’d been fully grown, with a height of about 5 4” and a full figure. She was hands down the prettiest girl he’d ever seen and his feelings had quickly shifted from brotherly, protective love to a different kind of love altogether. It had been almost two years since then and it had only grown harder to hide his feelings. He had decided, along with Claire's parents, that he would wait until Claire showed an interest in him (if she ever did) before he took any steps towards taking their relationship further. That felt like the right thing to do. And if he had to wait for years or even decades. He would. He hadn't told Claire that she was his imprint, he hadn't wanted her to feel any pressure like her life was already planned out for her. He decided he would tell her at the same time that he told her he loved her as more than just a best friend.

Claire continued speaking. “ And secondly, Zach Lahote has one of the weakest characters I've ever witnessed. You have by far the strongest. Don’t let him tell you how a man should act. You're more of a man than he’ll ever be.” He was stunned at her sincerity. Claire wasn't big on emotional declarations. In every single birthday card, she’d given him she’d written. ‘ This is a day. This is a party. You are old.’ she preferred actions to words. He stared at her for a second. 

“ Uh, thanks. Appreciate it.” she nodded and shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to punch himself in the dick. She’d just said something unbelievably sweet and he’d responded like a total dumbass. “ That sounded dumb. I'm just not used to you being a sap.” she blushed. Wait… what the hell? Claire had never blushed for as long as he’d known her. Something was weird about her today. “ Are you feeling okay? You’re being strange.” She looked at him. Was she hurt? God, he was so fucking bad at this. For as long as he’d known her she’d never been confusing. Usually, she just said what she was thinking because she knew he would never figure it out on his own. She sighed.

“ Nevermind. Sorry. I’ll go back to being a bro I guess. Wanna swim?” she got up from the sand and walked towards the water. He was left on the beach, propped up on his elbows, confused and worried. He jumped up and started walking after her. He opened his mouth to call out her name, but the words died in his throat. As she walked towards the water she reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head, tossing it in the sand. Holy shit! His eyes went wide and his mouth actually fell open. Claire was wearing the tiniest bikini top he had ever seen. His claire! What was happening? She’d only ever worn t-shirts and one-pieces in the water before. He couldn't tear his eyes away as she slipped out of her jeans and revealed an equally skimpy bottom half. The suit was light blue and looked amazing on her. The top tied in the back and around her neck, and the front consisted of two triangles that looked like they were desperately struggling to contain… her. The bottoms stretched high up on her hips and covered approximately 0% of her glorious ass, her long black braid swayed in the wind and she pulled it out before stepping into the freezing cold water, letting her pitch-black hair fly free and wild. Quil couldn't move. He knew if he moved, even an inch, he would be on top of her and doing things that you definitely weren't allowed to do on a public beach. Finally, after she was submerged up to her waist, she turned back to him. “ What's wrong? Are you coming or not?” she seemed dull and glum. He was trying so hard to restrain himself. The wolf inside him was roaring and gnashing its teeth, wanting desperately to claim the beautiful creature taunting him. He was glad she didn't have supernatural eyesight like he did. If she did she would have witnessed the steadily growing tent in his cargo shorts. He couldn't do this. If he got in that water, if she touched him, he wouldn't be able to hold back. He wasn't sure what was going on with her. But what he knew for certain was that he couldn't risk pushing her into something she wasn't comfortable with.

“ I’m good thanks! I'm just gonna stay over here” he sat back down and pulled his jacket into his lap to hide his hard-on. To his surprise, Claire seemed mad. She rolled her eyes and muttered something he couldn't pick up over the sound of the water. Now that he thought about it, those waves were swelling pretty high. He got up, his worry for her safety overcoming his need for her body. “ Claire! Kid! Why don't we go get food or something? Those waves are looking kinda sketchy!” he yelled the last part but she didn't hear him. He watched as she turned towards the open pacific and started to swim out. “ Goddammit. Fuck!” He kicked off his shoes and threw off his shirt as he jogged towards the water. “ Hey! Claire!” He was shouting now. To his relief, she turned and looked at him, confused. His relief was quickly replaced by horror as a wave rose up behind her, higher and higher. He didn't hesitate to sprint into the water, he dove beneath the surface and came up shouting her name. She started to swim towards him, smiling like she did when she thought he was being a weirdo. He was getting close to her. “ Claire, swim faster. Wave!” understanding donned on her face and she turned her head just in time to see the huge, dark wave that crashed down on her. Quil dove under the water and frantically whipped his head around, searching for her in the black. Finally, he spotted her, she was looking around, searching for him, her dark hair floating around her pale face in a perfect halo. He started swimming towards her as fast as he could. The Pacific was one of the coldest oceans, especially off the coast of Washington, and she didn't have his wolf heat to keep her from succumbing to it. After what felt like an age, he reached her and pulled her against him, willing his warmth to transfer to her cold frame. He started swimming back towards the surface, frantically trying to get her above water before she ran out of air. He broke the surface with a gasp and kicked as powerfully as he could until his feet finally met cold sand. He scooped his beautiful girl into his arms and ran her to shore. He set her down on the sand a good forty feet from the water “ Are you okay? Hey! Look at me! What the hell was that? What the fuck were you thinking? you could have fucking died!” he was holding her face in his hands and she twisted out of his grip letting out a growl worthy of a wolf.

“I can swim you asshole! The only reason I stayed under the water was to look for you!” He couldn't help his outrage at her disregard for her own safety.

“ Why the Hell would you do that? You know I have survived worse than that. It isn’t your job to protect me! It’s my job to protect you! It’d be great if you didn't make it so fucking hard!” the hurt in her eyes made him immediately regret what he’d said. “ Claire, I’m sorry. You just… you scared me, kid.” She stood up and stormed towards her clothes, grabbing them viciously and rounding on him. 

“ I am not your Kid! I am not your little sister Quil. Clearly, we want different things out of this relationship. So congratulations! I am no longer your responsibility.” she turned on her heel and started back towards the dike that they’d come from. He was confused now, he reached out and grabbed her arm, she spun around and ripped her arm from his grip. “ Stop it! Stop touching me and looking at me and leading me on! I have loved you for as long as I can remember, just waiting for you to see me that way, and now I am finally old enough and you still don't want me. Do you know how much courage it took for me to wear this? To tell you all those things? And all I get back is a ‘be careful kid’. Well, you know what? Fuck you Ateara! I don't need this” she stomped off and left Quil standing in the sand, stunned. She… loved him? Wait. No that couldn't be right. This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen. He shook himself out of his daze and looked for her. She was sprinting off into the distance, she was almost to the base of the dike. Fuck she was fast! His head was spinning but he knew one thing for sure. If he let her go now it would be the biggest mistake of his life. And with that, he took off running after her.

-Claire-

She didn't know whether she was madder at Quil or herself… Quil. Definitely Quil. He was such an Ass! She wasn't mad that he didn't like her back. She was mature enough to understand that life didn't always work out like that. What pissed her off was the fact that he had led her to believe that he liked her for years! Ever since she’d grown into her body and really become a woman, he’d looked at her differently, hugs lasted longer, cuddles on the couch were abruptly cut short when he suddenly had to get up and go to a different room for no apparent reason. He had given her every reason to believe that he found her attractive, but the one day she actually made an effort he acted like he didn't want to come near her. On top of all that he still didn't think she could take care of herself! She was a badass, but he saw her as a child. She was sprinting hard at this point. She reached the dike and began to climb the steep, grassy hill. She had just reached the plateau and was about to slide down the other side when a warm, calloused hand grabbed her wrist. 

“ Wait! For fucks sake!” She whipped around to glare at Quil as he held her arm tightly.

“ Let go of me!” She snarled in his face. She knew he could take it, he was just as tough as she was. He growled right back at her

“ No. Tell me what you meant.” that threw her off.

“ What?” he looked at her like it was obvious.

“ You said you loved me. What did you mean? Because there are different types of love.” She rolled her eyes. 

“ Yeah, I know Jackass. I don't love you like a brother. I don't love you like a friend. I just love you. A lot of good it does me now.” she huffed a bitter laugh and made to pull her arm out of his grip, he let her go. When she looked at him, there was something in his eyes that she couldn't place, like a man in a desert who had just crested a dune to find a beautiful oasis.

“ Quil what is wrong with your fac-” he cut her off by grabbing her face in his large, strong hands and pressing his mouth into hers. 

Oh. wow.

The kiss felt like it had been fifteen years in the making. His lips moved against hers, leading her and commanding her. She kissed him right back. Her hands slid into his hair and his hands fell from her face to wrap around her waist. The kiss went from desperate and hungry to slow and deliberate. He tested the seam of her lips with his tongue and she opened for him, meeting his tongue with her own. He groaned into the kiss and she sighed. He slid his hands from her waist to her ass and lifted her so that her legs could wrap around him. She complied and the kiss only deepened from there. They stayed like that for what felt like both an eternity and no time at all. He was pulling away far too soon. They just looked at each other, both of them breathing heavily. Finally, after a heated silence, Quil spoke.

“ I love you, Claire. Not like a sister. I love you in a way that would make your dad want to murder me a thousand times over.” She threw her head back and laughed, her legs still wrapped around him, his hands still clasped beneath her. “ I love you more than you can know. In a way that only a wolf can.” she stopped laughing and looked at him. What was he saying?

“ Quil, tell me exactly what you’re trying to say.” he looked at her like he knew exactly what she was thinking. 

“ You know what I'm trying to say, Claire.” She broke out in a huge smile. She pressed against him and whispered in his ear

“ Say it.” He shivered and leaned in so close that she could feel his hot breath on her neck.

“ You're my imprint, Claire Young.” She couldn't stop the shriek that broke from her throat. She pulled him close to her and kissed him as he laughed. She kissed his mouth, his cheeks, his neck when she reached the spot right behind his ear, and lingered there, his laugh turned to a moan. He pulled her head back up to his and pressed his lips against hers again. She pulled away and chuckled when he whimpered and tried to pull her mouth back to his. 

“ I have one rule.” He looked at her, completely serious and attentive.

“ Yes. anything” She traced his jaw with her fingers.

“ Never call me kid again. I hate it. It's the least sexy nickname in the world.” Quill laughed and buried his face in her hair.

“ Yes, boss. Never again” she raised an eyebrow.

“ I like Boss though. You should probably get used to that one.” she felt his laugh in his chest. 

“ Okay. But I want to call you Babe. You’ve gotta give me that one. It’s my favorite” She pulled his head away from her neck and looked at him quizzically.

“ Alright. I can agree to that. What should I call you then?” He grinned at her in a way that told her he was about to say something stupid.

“ How about ‘ Oh Marvelous sex God sent from above’? That seems accurate.” She slapped his arm and rolled her eyes.

“ Sex God?? I don't think so. You’re going to have to earn that one.” he kissed her once and then whispered in her ear.

“ Looking forward to it” she felt a shiver run from her scalp to the base of her spine.

“ I love you Quil.” He sighed happily

“ You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say those words”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay! We are back again with our main squeezes, Elodie and Elijah. I won't give anything away, but this is a happy one! I'm very excited about how this story is progressing and I have lots of ideas for the future. I hope you guys are enjoying the reading so far! have a wonderful rest of your week lovelies! also warning for all the smut haters! this one gets a little spicy!

-Elijah-

He was standing outside the door anxiously. He didn't know why but he was scared to open it. He didn't know what would be waiting for him on the other side. Hate, anger, fear, disgust. 

“Elijah?” Another whispered call came from behind the splintering wood. He let out a deep breath and twisted the handle. 

She was sitting up in bed, he sighed with relief. She didn't look horrified or angry, just confused. He waited by the doorway, not wanting to come closer and have her flinch away. He cleared his throat,

“ How are you feeling?” she was looking at him, silently assessing him in that way she always did. 

“ Physically I feel like I just got hit by a truck, but my mind is working overtime trying to make sense of what happened.” he stayed silent, not knowing what to say and feeling like she probably wasn't done talking. Sure enough, “You have some serious explaining to do. Right now.” He sagged in relief, his main concern would be that she wouldn't let him explain and she’d just assume he was a monster and take off running. He wanted desperately to sit with her, take her hands in his and tell her everything, but he stayed stuck next to the closed door.

“ I can explain, but it won't make sense unless you open yourself up to the fact that everything you thought you knew was just a preconceived misconception. Can you do that?” She rolled her eyes. 

“ How big of an idiot do you think I am? I just saw you morph into a giant wolf monster. I'm not gonna try to apply my own logic to that.” God, she was smart. He had expected screaming and anger and tears and possibly more running. But her gaze was steady and level as ever. For the first time in hours, he cracked the slightest smile.

“ Okay, that makes things easier. In that case, I guess I’ll just dive right in.” She nodded. He was about to start when she interrupted him.

“ Are you going to stand in the corner like a coat rack the whole time? Don't you want to sit on the bed?” He shrugged.

“ I figured you wouldn't want me to…” She scoffed.

“ Why? Because you scared me so badly I almost died? Please, I almost die on a regular basis. Don't flatter yourself” He couldn't help it, he laughed out loud. She was a miraculous creature. He walked over and sat down on the bed, looked at her, and started to talk.

He told her everything. About the original vampires and werewolves, how his Grandfather Edward met his Grandmother. He even told her about imprinting (But he didn't reveal that what he was saying applied to them). He told her about his mother, the miracle baby, and how his dad imprinted on her by walking into the room planning on killing her. Then, he talked about the Volturi and their assumption that his mother was an immortal child. He told her about all the vampires who came together in support of his Grandparents. Finally, he told her about his parents' life, his dad’s pack, and his brother and sister. 

By the time he’d told her everything he could think of, the sun had gone down and he was leaning against the wall with her feet in his lap.

“ So yeah, now we are living here so that dad can be closer to the pack, and me and my siblings can be a part of the pack. The Cullens live in Alaska, they’d already been here for too long and had to move on before people started to get suspicious. The Volturi aren't really a big threat anymore, now that supernatural bloodlines have successfully mixed and it’s been proven that it can work, they don't really have a reason to accuse us of anything. We are safe, and the reservation is our home.” he finished and looked at her. “ What do you think? Do you want to leave? Are you totally freaked out?” She met his eyes and seemed to think about it for a second. Then to his surprise, she broke out in a huge smile. 

“ Are you freaking kidding me? This is amazing! I can't believe that it’s all real.” He didn't know what to say. Somehow, this horrible situation seemed to be working out better than he ever could have imagined.

“ Are you sure? You don't hate me?” she looked taken aback.

“ Wha- Why would I hate you, Elijah? You haven't done anything wrong. Did you spend this whole time thinking I would hate you? You poor thing.” She let out a little laugh and leaned forward, reaching for him. Before she could make a move, he scooped her up into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. He sighed and breathed in her warm, welcoming scent. She laughed and pulled back. Suddenly, through all the relief and happiness, he realized just how close they were. Her nose was close enough to brush against his. She seemed to realize the same thing because her laugh faded and her breath caught in her throat. He looked into her eyes, the green of the forest staring back into his own. 

“ Elijah.” She breathed his name, like a question and an answer wrapped into one. He answered in the only way he could think of. Before he could think about it, his lips were pressing against hers. She gasped against his mouth and he waited for her to pull away, but to his undying delight, she pressed her lips against his and put her hand into his hair. His heart felt so light he was worried it would float into his throat. She was kissing him, and it was amazing. It was soft but firm, like a heartbeat. They fit together so perfectly, when she pulled he pushed, he couldn't remember where he ended and she began. Her lips were soft and cool, delicate, and perfect. He wanted to devour her, to press her close to him, and never let her go. He could do this forever, he didn't need anything but this and her. She shifted so that she could straddle his lap. He breathed in sharply. If they didn't slow down soon he might not be able to control himself. He pulled back, wincing as his body screamed at him to keep kissing her. She opened her eyes slowly, breathing hard. Her lips were swollen and pink from the pressure of his kisses. He had to look away before he could compose himself enough to form a complete word.

“ Maybe we should st-” She laughed and turned his head back to hers.

“ Hell no.” And then she was kissing him again. This time it was different, before she had been tentative, exploring. Now she was in command, wanting, and searching. He groaned into her mouth. She was quite literally the hottest thing on this earth. His heart skipped a beat when her hands slid from his hair to his waist, slipping underneath his shirt and running over his torso. He froze. Oh no, shit. He tried to adjust his position to hide his growing… indecency, from her but it was too late. She stopped kissing him and met his eyes. He flushed.

“ I’m sorry. I can't help it.” She laughed out loud. The pure, beautiful sound did nothing to help his situation. If he’d thought that was bad, it was nothing compared to what she did next. Her smile turned wicked as she leaned in and whispered in his ear.

“Let me help you with that.” Then she was touching him, her hand cool and soft against his growing erection. He couldn't hear himself think over the roaring rush of blood in his ears.

“ Fuck Elodie. You’re gonna kill me!” She laughed loudly and continued her skilled work. Before she could finish (or more accurately, before he could finish), he realized something that made him freeze and grunt in frustration. He lifted her off of him and jumped off of the bed. “We can’t.” he tucked himself back into his shorts and once he was decent again, he turned back to her. She was sitting on the bed, her face flushed and her eyes downcast. When she spoke her voice was quiet.

“ I’m sorry. I thought that you would like it.” His heart clenched in agony. He sank down to his knees beside the bed and took her face in his hands, pulling her forehead down so that it was resting against his own.

“ Oh My God Elodie. That’s not it at all. If I could, I would do nothing but that for the rest of my life and die a happy man. You are amazing. I want you so badly. More than you could know” she smiled at him, looking relieved. 

“Then why’d you stop me?” Because I'm an idiot, he thought to himself. He sighed and leaned his head against her knee. 

“ Because we are currently in a house with six other people. All of whom have supernatural hearing.” He looked up at her just in time to see her clamp her hand over her mouth. Her face flushed the most adorable shade of pink and she looked at him, mortified.

“ Oh My God! I didn't even think about that. That’s horrible. Oh God, I'm going to die. I'm literally going to die of embarrassment.” He laughed at her cuteness.

“Don't worry, El. It’s not the first time something like this has happened. I'm just glad I caught us before things went too far. One time, Izzy actually gave her boyfriend a blowjob in the guest bedroom when she thought no one was home. Unfortunately, my football coach had canceled practice that particular day and now I'm scarred for life.” he heard a shout from downstairs, loud enough that Elodie could hear it too.

“ That Was One Time Elijah! Stop Telling People About That!!!” Elodie was laughing so hard that she had rolled over on the bed and was clutching at her sides. He smiled and climbed onto the bed next to her. Once she had calmed down, she climbed into his lap and placed a light kiss on his cheek. He couldn't believe this was happening. He could kiss her now, and better yet, she knew what he was. There didn't have to be secrets between them anymore. He was so overjoyed that he couldn't keep it in check any longer. He grabbed her face and rained kisses all over her. She laughed and swatted at him, trying in vain to escape his relentless kisses. He pulled away just enough to growl in her ear,

“ You have no idea how badly I want to get you alone.” Her breath caught and she smiled. 

“ You have your own place don't you?” He smiled and grabbed her around the waist, standing up and taking her with him. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms went around his neck.

“ Elodie Markmoore, you gorgeous genius!” she laughed and rolled her eyes. 

“ What can I say? I'm amazing” He kissed her, hard. He broke away and left her panting,

“ Yes. Yes, you are.” she smiled and kissed him back.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit spicy! This will be my last spicy chapter for a while ( Sorry if that's what you like, there will be more later. but for now I want to build more of the storyline). In the next chapter, you can look forward to a fast-forward, some Quill and Claire POV's, and a new imprinting!!!

-Elodie-  
His place was nice, but it seemed unlived-in, like whoever lived there was just passing through. Elodie had been in daze ever since that first kiss. Everything was washed in a warm, happy light and nothing mattered except for his hand in hers. He closed the door behind them and walked up behind her, resting a hand on her back, he hadn't stopped touching her for more than five seconds since they left his parents place to get some privacy.  
“What do you think?” He asked. She looked around at the grey walls, lone chair in front of the TV, and lack of food on the shelves.  
“ It’s sad.” He winced and chuckled dryly.  
“ Ouch El. Not pulling any punches are we?” she laughed and put her hand on his chest.  
“ That's not what I meant. I was just saying that the house seems like it isn't as happy as it could be. Houses want to be lived in. This one is sad and lonely.” He smiled and she blushed, she'd always been the type of kid to believe that everything had feelings, as a child, she’d always felt bad for sunday because saturday was hogging all the love, it was silly but she just got certain vibes from certain objects. He was staring at her with kindness.  
“ That's probably one of the sweetest things I’ve heard in awhile.” she rolled her eyes but giggled when he hoisted her up and let her wrap her legs around his waist. She hadn't stopped thinking about his hands on her body since they left his parents house. Now she crushed her lips against his and sighed into his mouth, he was moving instantly, walking towards a door on the far side of the living room. Once they reached the door, he fumbled around for the door handle behind her, his lips not faltering once against hers. Once he had the door open he walked to the simple bed in the middle of the room and sat down on it. She was sitting in his lap, running her hands through his hair and dragging her lips across his jaw, down the deep, tan column of his throat. The growl that escaped his throat was both the hottest and the most dangerous sound she’d ever heard. Before she knew what was happening, she was flipped onto her back and he was holding himself over her, kissing his way down her throat, sucking, licking but never biting. Some twisted part of her wondered how it would feel, she couldn't imagine anything better than this, but a bite from a hybrid vampire werewolf was probably a pretty unique experience. She grunted impatiently and pulled at the hem of his shirt, he tore himself away from the skin under her jaw that he’d been in the middle of thoroughly marking, to pull his shirt off. He began to lean back towards her exposed neck but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. He stopped and looked at her, they were both breathing hard, his skin was so hot it almost burned her cold hands. She lifted her hand from his chest to his face, she traced his cheekbones with her long fingers, brushing them along his jaw and finally resting them on his swollen lips. His breath, once heavy from lust and restraint, had turned shallow and careful. She could barely believe all that had happened in the last few hours. She could feel her brain working to sort and store it all away. As much as her body wanted the passion and heat, her mind just needed a second of calm, just to look at this beautiful man and appreciate that this was all real. He was staring at her, his face hovering so close to hers that she could see the flecks of gold in his worried eyes.  
“Are you alright? If you’re tired we can stop, i'm just happy to be with you i don’t need-” she silenced his concerns with a soft kiss. He cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. She spread her hands out across his chest and traced every toned curve and dip. His skin was soft and smooth. Before she realized what she was doing, she’d undone the top button of his jeans and was sliding them down his toned legs. He kicked them off and she was left staring at him in his briefs. He pulled back and smiled at her,  
“ Take a picture, It’ll last longer.” She blushed and stuck her tongue out. He laughed and rolled them over so that she was straddling his waist. She could feel her face muscles aching from the amount of smiling and laughing that she’d been doing that day as she broke out in a grin. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his for what felt like both the millionth and the first time that night. Things were going well as they locked lips and let their hands roam, Elodie was feeling fine right up until she felt Elijah's hands start to pull up the hem of her sweater. Her once enthusiastic lips froze on his and she sat up and away from his warm hands. His face went from glazed and hungry to confused and clear.  
“What’s wrong El? Are you okay?” she was still straddling his lap and looking down at him lying on the bed. She wrapped her arms around her wire thin frame and shook her head,  
“ No, I don't want it. I don't want you to see me… like that” he slid her off of him carefully and sat up so that he was facing her. He shook his head sadly.  
“ Why silly? I want to see you. I think you’re beautiful” He seemed earnest and sad and she hated that she was ruining this amazing night, but she just wasn't comfortable.  
“ In theory. You only want me in theory. You want a warm, beautiful body. You trick yourself into thinking that’s what I’ll look like but it isn't, i’m gaunt, sickly, small and weak and-” she cut herself off when she met his eyes. He was looking at her incredulously, like she’d just started speaking in Russian or something. He slowly shook his head  
“ I can't believe this. How can you think all that? I will tell you everyday for the rest of our lives, even if you never believe me. You, Elodie Marksmoore, are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. All I want to do is look at you, touch you, and hold you. I dont have some fantasy built up in my head. I don't need one, all I need is you, exactly how you are.” he paused to cup her face lovingly. “ We won’t go any farther than you want. But please don't go to sleep tonight thinking that you're not beautiful or sexy. Because if you havent noticed by now, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.” she sighed. In the last three days, this man had broken every limit and rule she’d made for herself. He made her feel like all the things she’d always wanted to be, and suddenly she didn't feel scared anymore. She could feel the warmth and affection coming from him, pure and unwavering, and it gave her the strength she needed to grab the bottom of her sweater and pull it up over her head, tossing it to the ground before turning back to Elijah. Where she had expected to find disgust or pity in his eyes, all she found was lust and awe. He took her in with long strokes of his gaze. His eyes were so slow and deliberate that she could almost feel the path they traced along her body. She drew in a breath when his hands replaced his gaze and he began to stroke her sides, tracing lines along her stomach and smoothing gently over her exposed ribs. He touched her arms, running the backs of his fingers down them, leaving goosebumps in his wake. Finally, after caressing her nerves into submission and warming her cold body with his large hands, he reached around her to where her bralette clasped in the back.  
“ Are you okay?” He asked her gently. Running his hands down her back, not going any further until he had explicit permission. She smiled at him and reached behind her to unclasp it herself.   
“I’m okay. Around you, I think I always will be.” and with that, she let go.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a very feel-good chapter! there is a flashforward of about five days, and life is going well. The perfect setup for some chaos don't you think? I'm just kidding *cough* not really *cough*. anyways! I hope you enjoy this one! I loved getting to describe the lovely Marksmoore sisters outfits and it was a great opportunity to go into greater detail about their looks which is always helpful. The dinner party will be happening in the next chapter and let's just say things get... interesting. Melanie finally gets some well-earned spotlight and a new love story is introduced! Yay!

5 days later…

-Elijah-

As a kid, he’d always wondered how you knew whether you were making a memory or not. He’d always heard people talking about how you don't know that you are in the good old days until they are already over. This week had been the first time in his life when he had known, irrefutably, that he was living the best days of his life. After He and Elodie had returned to his apartment, they’d proceeded to engage in what could only be referred to as a soul-fusing experience. The sex wasn't just good, it felt like coming across an endless pool of freshwater after being stranded in the desert for weeks. He had felt like every nerve in his body was on fire, it was the kind of soaring, otherworldly feeling that he got when he jumped off of the cliffs by the beach. Scary as hell, but a total rush.

After the first time, he’d just needed to be close to her, and she seemed to want the same thing, so he’d gathered her up in his arms and drew the covers over them. The next morning had been the best of his life, waking up next to her, unburdened by secrets or sadness. He’d watched her sleep and marveled at how perfect and peaceful she looked, that was, until her eyes flew open and she jumped him, pulling him under the blankets for round two.

Since then, Elodie had basically lived at his apartment. He had a guest bedroom for Melanie and both of the girls seemed to prefer his home to their own. After only a couple days of having them there, his dreary, impersonal bachelor pad had started to feel more like home. He delighted in being able to come home to people who weren't his parents for once in his life. The once empty countertops now held a fruit basket full of satsumas, which Melanie scarfed down like nobody’s business and the fridge was full of Snapple, which was apparently Elodies favorite drink. His bedroom had gone from looking almost unlived in, to a perfect storm of clothes and books and various empty water glasses and coffee cups. It turned out that the Marksmoore women were not the tidiest creatures. He didn't mind one bit, in fact he relished getting to come home to shelves stocked with food, and clothes scattered throughout the rooms. His favorite part of the day (apart from the obvious) were the mornings, lying in bed with his head in Elodie's lap as she drank tea and read one of her many books that she now kept at his house. He would have to remember to buy a bookshelf soon. He loved how she looked when she read, her round glasses perched on her perfect nose, her eyes wide as if she could suck the story into her brain. She had developed a habit of petting his head as she read and it took all of his will power to suppress his wolf’s scratch reflex and keep his leg from shaking him off of the bed. She of course found this hilarious and tried her best to catch him unawares whenever she could. Their mornings always ended with her book on the floor and her laugh ringing in his ears as he kissed and tickled her in retaliation for the strategic scratches. 

He smiled at the thought. He was sitting on the couch that he’d bought the day after Melanie had stayed the night for the first time and complained that there was no good place to sit to watch TV, waiting for Elodie and Melanie to emerge from their rooms. The day before, he’d been dropping groceries off at his parent's house and updating them on how everything was going when his mother had suggested that they have a dinner party. He’d been resistant at first, not wanting to freak Elodie out by forcing her into a room filled with werewolves and vampires and telling her to make polite conversation. He voiced his concerns but in the end, couldn't refuse his mother, she was so excited and giddy that Elijah didn't want to disappoint her. He also had to admit that it excited him to think of Elodie meeting all the people in his life, mainly because they were such a big part of who he was. He had been looking forward to it by the time he arrived home with the news, but that excitement had turned quickly to concern when terror fell across Elodies face at the news. Melanie had been thrilled, she had been dying to meet his family ever since Elodie had told her the truth about his life. When he had announced the dinner, she had jumped up and clapped her hands, saying something about finally finding someone to match her energy. He wasn't paying attention at that point, he was too busy staring at Elodie who was staring right back at him, frozen in place.

“ You alright El? Whats up?” he took her hand and squeezed it. She smiled and shook her head.

“ Nothing. It’s fine. Just, didn't expect it” he didn't buy it. 

“ Don't do that. Tell me what's wrong. I can smell the lies on you. Why? Is it… is it because of what we are? What I am?” That was the fear that plagued him every day. That someday she would wake up and realize she had made a horrible mistake. To his relief, she shook her head adamantly at his question. She squeezed his hand in return and sighed. 

“ It's not that at all. I'm sure your family and pack are amazing. I'm more worried that they won't be very impressed with your choice in girlfriend.” he laughed out loud and immediately regretted it. Her face turned red and she looked to the floor. He was always doing that. She would voice her insecurities and he would react in the wrong way. It was only because her worries were always the last things that he would ever think about her. He had to remind himself that she wasn't aware of the level of his affection and still worried that she wasn't good enough for him or that he was settling for her, which couldn't be farther from the truth.

“ I’m sorry Babe. I didn't mean to laugh. It's just that you couldn't be more wrong. Not only will my family be beyond impressed with you, they already love you.” She looked confused.

“ What are you talking about Elijah? I've only met Bennet. And he seemed like he probably loves everyone.” he chuckled. She wasn't wrong, Bennet was probably the most energetic and least cruel person Elijah had ever met. He was basically the embodiment of a puppy dog. He shook his head and smiled.

“ I'm not sure how to explain it in a way that you will understand. But I talk about you enough that they probably already feel like you're a part of the family. Trust me, you are going to fit right in, and so will Mel. i'm sure of it.” she seemed sufficiently reassured, her smile shone a little brighter and her eyes weren't as preoccupied. 

“ Okay. I trust you.” 

Now, he checked his watch as he waited. 

“ C’mon Babe! Melanie! we've got like ten minutes till we gotta be there!” in reality they had almost 20 minutes. But he had learned the hard way that his girls were not big on punctuality.

“ Okay! I’m coming! Don't get your tail in a knot!” Melanie’s endearing snark echoed from her room and she came out to sit next to him on the couch. She looked beautiful in a lovely, long-sleeved red dress. The loose skirt cut off at her knees and the sleeves were cinched at the wrist, making the dress look both charming and fashionably casual at the same time. The bodice was tight-fitting, with black buttons leading down to the waistline The dark red of the material gave her pale, creamy skin and long, white-blonde hair an almost angelic look. She looked much older than she usually did. Most of the time she danced around the house in sweatpants and crop tops, her long hair braided down her back. When Elijah looked at her he didn't see a girl or a woman. He saw a different creature altogether, full of wild, happy energy. But with her hair down, her lips shiny and red, and her dress hugging her figure. She looked like all that energy had been harnessed and reflected through her looks rather than her actions. He was impressed with her transformation, and also slightly concerned. She looked a little too good. After only a day or two of being around her, he had started to feel protective of her in the same way that he was of his own siblings. As much as he loved the guys in his pack, he didn't trust them not to fall over themselves and make Melanie uncomfortable with their attention. Elijah would have to warn them to be on their best behavior. Maybe he would ask Bennet to look out for her, he was the only one that Elijah knew wouldn't go for her. As long as he’d known the man, Bennet had never had a girlfriend, never talked about girls, never objectified girls in the way that some of the guys did. Bennet’s dad had never been around. It was just him and his mom. Elijah had taken on the role of a male authority figure in his life as best he could. He had always suspected that Bennet didn't talk about girls because his mom had been hurt so badly by a man, he could tell that Bennet didn't trust himself not to turn out like his father.

Elijah was contemplating this thought when Elodie emerged from their bedroom. The moment he saw her, every thought flew out of his head. She was absolutely stunning in a moss green, satin dress. It was slim fitting around her chest and connected around her neck in a halter top style by two thin pieces of fabric. The dress flared out at her waist slightly and swayed with the movement of her hips. Her hair was curled and fell around her gorgeous face in dark sheets. He was on his feet and crossing over towards her in seconds. He reached her and grabbed her face in his hands, pulling it up and kissing her with thinly veiled hunger. She gasped in surprise but kissed him back after a second, wrapping her arms around his neck, she smelled like cinnamon and some sweet vanilla perfume. He didn't want to pull away, but Melanie cleared her throat pointedly and they reluctantly broke apart. Elodie was panting and her eyes lit up by something that hadn't been there a second ago. Elijah wished they had more time before they had to be at the family house. All he could think about was ripping that dress off, spreading her out on his bedsheets, and thoroughly messing up that beautiful hair of hers. Unfortunately, it would have to wait until tonight.

“ What was that for?” Elodie asked him, smiling. Her cheeks were flushed and he could feel the stickiness of her lip gloss coating his mouth. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. 

“ You look amazing. I couldn't help myself.” she blushed even harder and grabbed his hand pulling him towards the door.

“ We’re gonna be late. C’mon, Mel grab your stuff, let's go” Melanie picked her purse up off of the couch and followed Elijah and Elodie out of the door. Elijah trailed behind Elodie, taking in the view of her long, tan legs and shiny dark hair. He still marveled at how different Elodie looked from her sister. He couldn't wait until Elodie let him turn her and her health was restored. She had looked healthier ever since she’d moved in with him. Her face had more color, she didn't get tired as easily and the sadness in her eyes dissipated more and more every day.

When they reached the parking lot, he jogged ahead and held the passenger door open for Elodie. She kissed him on the cheek in gratitude before sliding into the seat and letting him close the door on her. Not wanting to neglect the other Marksmoore lady, he used his speed to reach the back door on the other side of the car and open it before Melanie could reach for it herself. She rolled her eyes.

“ You’re a bit of a dork Elijah. You know that right?” he shrugged,

“ So I've been told… by you mostly.” She laughed and jumped into the back seat. Once he had pulled the car onto the road and they were officially on their way, he reached over and took Elodies' hand. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. 

This was the life.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the dinner party chapter! lots of bombshells and build up! woohoo! enjoy <3

-Elodie-

She couldn't hide her nerves as they pulled into his parents driveway. Elijah squeezed her hand, sensing her nerves, or maybe smelling them. She wasn't totally sure how the whole werewolf-emotion-smell thing worked. She looked over at him from the passenger seat. She still couldn't believe how perfect her life had become in such a short amount of time. For the first time in her life she felt like she mattered, she finally felt like living was better than the alternative. She hadn't talked to Elijah about it yet, but she knew that something in her heart had changed for the better over the course of these last few days. Thanks to him. 

Elodie smiled at him and took a deep breath. She turned to get out of the car but he tugged her back to him. 

“ It’s going to be okay, El.The first meeting will be the hardest, after this you won't think twice about family gatherings, these people can be your family too. I promise it’ll be okay.” she hated that she was making him feel bad like this. Tonight was clearly important to Elijah and she was being difficult. She cupped his face in her hands and planted a firm kiss on his lips.

“ I know Baby. I know. I’m sorry, I swear i'll be fine. It's just nerves.” He kissed her again and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“ You have nothing to be sorry for El. Although we should probably head in, Mel seems to be getting a little bit impatient.” Sure enough, her not-so-little sister was standing a few feet away from the car, tapping her high-heeled foot and glancing towards the house. Elodie chuckled.

“ That girl has too much energy for her own good.” Elijah hummed in agreement and let go of her hand to open his door and step out. Before she could move, he was at her own door, holding it open and grinning. It was going to take some time to get used to that. She stepped out of the door and Elijah closed it behind her, grabbing her hand and starting off towards the house. They had just rounded the trees and were almost to the front porch when a small, young woman (Elodie figured it was Elijah's sister) threw the door open and squealed. The woman was stunning and made Elodie feel gawky in her presence. Her long red, curly hair bounced as she moved. She was shorter than Elodie by a bit, but still taller than Mel (which most people were) and her curves were pronounced and decidedly womanly. She jumped off the porch and ran over to Elijah, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheeks. Elodie couldn't help but notice how elegant the young woman looked in a black, slim fitting dress and a thin string of pearls, she was dressed like someone who was much older. Elijah laughed and released the woman, taking Elodies hand in his once more. It was a rare occurrence when he wasn't touching her in some way. Enough so that she’d started to feel a little bit off when she couldn't feel his warmth.

“ Mom, I’d like you to meet Elodie and Melanie. El, Mel, this is my mother.” Elodie gaped. His mother? That was insane! She’d known that his mom didn't age, but this girl didn't look much older than herself. Certainly not old enough to have three fully grown children! Elodie was at a loss for words, but her sister suffered from no such affliction.

“ Holy shit! You look great for a mom!” Elodie hissed in disapproval at her sisters cussing but the woman just threw back her head and laughed. She smiled approvingly at Melanie and said, with a wry smile

“What can I say? I’ve got good genes!” Melanie snorted and stuck her hand out to the woman.

“ I'm Melanie Marksmoore. The younger sister. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Black!” Elijah's mother took Melanie's hand and shook it firmly.

“ it's very good to finally meet you. But please, call me Ness.” After the two ladies had been introduced, Ness turned towards Eldoie, who was still frozen in place. “ You must be Elodie! We have heard quite a bit about you and your sister! It's good to meet you both” Elodie took Ness’s outstretched hand and tried to relax enough to smile. 

“It’s lovely to meet you Ness. You have a wonderful son.” Elijah gripped her hand a little bit tighter and when she looked up at him, his smile was worth every bit of the anxiety and awkwardness. 

After the introductions had been made among the four of them, they all turned back towards the house and started forward again. Elodie took deep breaths and calmed her thundering heart as best she could. This was going to be good! She promised herself over and over again. She stepped up the stairs to the porch, Elijah by her side and Melanie at her back. Ness looked over her shoulder and smiled at Elijah knowingly before gripping the door handle and opening the door.

Elodie didn't know what she was expecting. But she knew that this definitely wasn't it. The kitchen was composed of four countertops that were low enough so that the people in the kitchen could easily talk to the people in the living room and in the middle of the space was a huge kitchen table. Across from the kitchen was a high ceilinged, hardwood floored room with a wide wrap around couch pushed against the far wall and a wood stove in the corner, burning away. The house felt open and warm and welcoming. Elodie thought the place was awesome, but what really stunned her was the sheer amount of people in it. She looked into the kitchen and saw four people standing at the countertops, talking and cooking. At the table sat almost ten people, playing cards, eating snacks and laughing raucously. If she turned her head to look at the living room, she could count a total of almost thirteen people, lounging on the couch, standing by the fire and sitting on the soft-looking rug that lay in the middle of the space. In all her life, Elodie had never been around this many people who knew each other at once. The impressive part was that these people didn't just seem to know each other, they seemed close enough to be family. Every aspect of the gathering radiated comfort and community.

At the sound of the door closing, they all looked towards the door. As soon as they saw who had arrived, the room erupted in woops and yells. All the guys in the room were on their feet in a second, swarming Elijah and slapping him on the back with words of congratulations pouring in from all sides. Elodie marveled at the way Elijah melted seamlessly into the group. He smiled in that broad, beautiful way of his and Elodie couldn't help but smile too. She loved seeing him so happy. He jostled his way back through the group towards her. By the time he reached her he was laughing and panting. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek, drawing catcalls and ‘Ooos’ from his packmates. He turned around just far enough to soundly flip them off before turning back and planting a full bodied kiss on her lips. She couldn't help herself, she laughed and kissed him back. When he pulled back, his eyes were lit up in a way that she'd never seen them before. As Elodie looked around the room and was introduced to everyone, she felt herself relax. Elijah had been right, these people were warm and familiar already. 

Before too long, Elijah was whisked off by his buddies into the back yard for ‘Guy talk’ which really just seemed to mean wrestling. Elodie felt lost for a second as he left, she looked around the room, already wishing he would come back. Her loneliness didn't last long as a small, yet curvy girl bounded up to her and held out her hand.

“ Hi! I’m Claire! It's so nice that you're here. Would you like to join us?” She gestured to the couch where a few girls were lounging and talking, drinks in hand. Elodie smiled and nodded. Claire led her back to the girls. “ Okay, this is Kim.She’s Jared's imprint.” a pretty, slim, dark haired girl waved at her and smiled sweetly. Claire continued. “ And this is Emily, she's Sam Uley's imprint.” A beautiful, older woman smiled kindly at Elodie and shook her hand. The woman had three long scars down her face that Elodie had trouble looking away from. Claire went on introducing the rest of the girls one by one. Kim, Emily, Rachel, Renesmee, and Claire seemed to be the only imprints at the party. All the women were very kind and Elodie felt at ease with them at once. As they talked, Elodie learned more about the women and their partners. Kim and Jared, Emily and Sam, Rachel and Paul, Renesmee and Jacob, Claire and Quil. Elodie couldn't help but notice that all of the women talked about their imprints with both the admiration of a lover, and the familiarity of a best friend. Finally she asked the question that had been nagging at the back of her head.

“ So, can a wolf never fall in love unless they imprint?” The women contemplated her question for a minute. Emily was finally the one to speak up.

“ Not necessarily. Not every wolf imprints. The ones who do always imprint on the woman who will make them a better man. I think that imprinting stems more from necessity than fate. I have never met an imprinted couple that didn't rely heavily on each other to make themselves better.” all the other ladies were nodding in agreement. Claire piped in once Emily was clearly done talking.

“ Imprinting is a lot like fitting missing pieces into a puzzle. It makes both sides whole. But not every wolf has pieces missing in the first place. So it just depends on the wolf.” Elodie understood what they were saying. But she still had a question.

“ So why aren't there any other women here who aren't imprinted? Can one of the guys ever just have a girlfriend?” the women all looked at each other. Kim was the one to answer her question first this time.

“ Most wolves don't like to bring their girls to family parties if they aren't imprinted. It's too uncertain. You never know who a wolf might imprint on, so letting a girl meet the family and get attached could just end in heartbreak if the wolf ever does imprint on someone else. That’s what happened with Em and Sam.” Emily nodded sadly.

“ Yeah. Sam was in a relationship when we met. When it ended it was messy and awful. I wouldn't want any other poor girl to have to go through that.” Elodie nodded slightly. She tried her best to hide the hurt that was stabbing her through the heart. She was one of those girls, just waiting until Elijah found his imprint and deserted her. As she thought about it something occurred to her.

“ Wait… if the wolves only bring imprints to family gatherings? Why did Elijah bring me today?” the girls all suddenly found something very interesting to look at and wouldn't meet her eyes. Ness was the one to finally break the silence.

“ Who knows? It was his choice. I'm sure he had his reasons.” That's when Elodie realized. Of course! It made perfect sense. When she spoke her voice was cold and broken, the way it used to sound.

“It's because I'm dying. He doesn't have to worry about the repercussions of dating a girl who won't be here in a few weeks.” She was quiet for a while, she couldn't meet the girls eyes, but she could feel them all looking at each other. “ I’m gonna get some air. Thank you for being so welcoming, you are all very nice people.” She stood without meeting their eyes and walked out onto the porch. To her surprise, Melanie was already out there, her shoes were lying discarded in the grass and she was leaning back, looking up at the night sky. Elodie plopped down beside her sister and rested her head on her shoulder.

“ How’re you doing babe?” Melanie didn't respond at first, she didn't have to, they were good at comfortable silences. After a while she spoke up, her voice calm.

“ I wish that we could actually be a part of this family. We would fit in well here.” Elodie sighed heavily.

“ I know what you mean. I'm sorry we didn't have a better run of it.” Melanie laughed dryly. 

“ Yeah, no kidding. We didn't just get dealt a bad hand. We got dealt the instruction cards and the jokers.” despite her sadness. Elodie found herself laughing, she looked at Melanie and that only made her laugh harder. Pretty soon they were both laying on their backs, clutching their sides and giggling at their own misery. When they finally calmed down, Melanie looked over at her from where they both lay on the porch.

“ I love you Dork.” Elodie snorted.

“ I love you too asshole.” She met Melanie's eyes and a whole new round of laughing started. 

They were laying on their backs, staring at the stars, when a voice sounded from the side of the house.

“ Mind if I join you?” Elodie sat up and looked over to find Elijah leaning against his childhood home, looking at them with a lazy smile plastered on his face. She patted the porch next to her and he jumped from where he stood to sit next to her. Melanie stood up and rolled her eyes, smiling.

“ You guys are nauseatingly sweet. So I’m gonna head in, maybe I can help out with dinner or something.” Elodie smiled and nodded at her obvious sister, and Melanie walked back into the house. Once she was gone, Elodie looked at Elijah to find him already smiling at her.

“ I’m having such a good time El. I’m so glad you’re here. Are you having fun?” He was looking at her so hopefully that she couldn't let him down.

“ Of course I am. Your family is awesome.” He grinned ear to ear and pulled her into his side, kissing the top of her head and wrapping his arms around her. 

“ You know, someday. If you wanted, they could be your family too.” she pulled back to look at him, confused.

“ Elijah, what the hell are you talking about? I'm not gonna be here when ‘someday’ comes around. We’ve talked about this!” He looked at her, his eyes wide and hopeful and his smile bordering on manic.

“ That’s what I’m saying! It doesn't have to be that way! I know this is going to sound crazy, but if you let me turn you, you’ll never have to worry about dying again! Your cancer will go away. You’ll get to see Melanie grow up! We could be together!” he finished talking and stared at her, expectantly. She didn’t know what to say. She’d spent so much of her life learning to accept that it would end. She didn't know if she could handle an eternity of having to live through everyday with no end in sight. Especially if Elijah would just leave her the minute he found his imprint.

“ Elijah. It’s tempting. But we won't be together forever. Not realistically.” He was looking at her, hurt and confusion shining through his lovely chocolate eyes.

“ Why not? You don't want to be with me?” She shook her head adamantly. Did he really not see what she was trying to say?

“ No, of course I do! But I was talking to some of the imprints and I realized that we can never be together. I can't be in a relationship with you if I’m always scared you're gonna imprint on any random stranger. I can't spend eternity as your second choice.” Understanding dawned on his face, then it quickly turned into horror. He grabbed her hands and pulled her back into him. She resisted slightly at first but he was so warm and solid that she couldn't help but melt against him in the end.

“I don’t know how to explain this to you, but I will never fall for anybody else. I swear it on my life.” She opened her mouth to protest but he kept going. “Soon this will all make sense. I promise. But for now you just have to trust me when I tell you that I will love you tomorrow and the next day and the next day, just as much as I love you today.” she sighed.

“ You say that now bu-” She froze as she processed exactly what he had just said.

“ Wait… Elijah?” He smiled at her,

“ Yes Elodie?” his voice was tinged with amusement. She knew she probably looked stupid with her mouth hanging open, struggling for words.

“ Do you really? You’re not just saying that?” He shook his head and kissed her, long and soft.

“ I mean it. I am completely in love with you.” She couldn't help it. She smiled, and then she laughed, and then she was on him, her lips crashing into his. She climbed into his lap and pushed him so that he was lying on his back on the porch. She kissed his neck, the collar of his shirt, his lips. When she finally pulled away, they were both slightly out of breath. He sat up and she threw her arms around his neck. 

“ I love you too. And I trust you, I promise.” she whispered against his shoulder. He sighed against her neck and wrapped his strong arms around her.

“ God, you’re perfect.” She blushed and kissed his neck gently, eliciting a soft moan from somewhere deep in his throat. She pulled back and put a finger to his lips, then tapped it to her ears. He whined when she stood from his lap and held out her hand. He took it and hauled himself up. Before she could open the door, he tilted her chin and growled in her ear “When we get home. Don't think I wont remember.” The shiver that ran up her spine had nothing to do with the chilly night air. She was reaching for the door handle when somebody called out from behind them.

“ Hey! Elijah! Elodie! Wait up!” She turned to see Bennet Tahoma jogging up the stairs of the porch, six pack of beer in hand. Elijah pulled him in for a bro hug and slapped him on the back.

“ Where’ve you been dude? You were close to missing dinner!” Bennet shook his head and laughed.

“ My mom needed me. I couldn't get away.” Elijah nodded in a way that made Elodie suspect that this wasn't the first time Bennet’s mom had needed her son to care for her. Elodie spoke first.

“ Well you’re here now, that’s all that matters. We were just about to go in, I'm sure dinner is close to being ready by now.” She didn't know why she was so comfortable talking to Bennet. Something about him made her want to look out for him. He nodded and smiled at her.

She turned back and opened the door, the warmth and smell of food hit her like a brick. It was then that Elodie realized just how hungry she was. She stepped into the room, followed by Elijah and Bennet. Most of the people had migrated to the table and were clearly anticipating dinner being served. The only people who were still on the couch were Melanie, Claire and Quil. The girls seemed to really be hitting it off. Melanie was sitting with her back to them and Claire was curled in Quil’s lap, one hand on his chest. The familiarity between them amazed Elodie, you could almost see the bond between them as if it was a living, growing thing. 

“ Who is that?” Elodie turned to see Bennet staring at Melanie's back. His gaze was intense and curious.

“ Oh that’s my sister, Melanie. I actually think you guys would get along! Hey Mel!” She called out to her sister. Melanie turned and smiled, excusing herself from the conversation and coming over to their group. Elodie had to admit that her sister was a total bombshell in that red dress, with her pearly blond hair hanging down her back and her lips painted red. “ Mel, this is Bennet. Bennet this is Mel.” Melanie turned to Bennet and smiled, holding out her delicate little hand. He didn't take it. Elodie turned towards Bennet just in time to see the six pack of beer fall from his hand and crash to the floor. Everyone turned towards them and the wolves were on their feet in a flash. Elijah held up a hand, a silent command to stay where they were. Bennet was still standing there, completely frozen, staring at Melanie. His face had gone from a dark, warm tan to a sickly pale color in seconds and he stumbled back. Elijah muttered under his breath.

“ Shit.” Elodie was completely baffled. From the look on her sister's face, Melanie was just as confused. Mel reached out a hand to touch Bennett's shoulder. 

“ Hey, are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost.” her touch seemed to shock him out of his trance. He shook his head and back up to the door.

“ I-I-I I can’t I have to- I need-” He stumbled over his words before finally just yanking the door open and running into the back yard. Before any of them could move, he’d stopped in the middle of the grass and phased into a huge silver wolf. He sped off into the woods so fast that he became a streak of silver before disappearing. A man who looked alot like Elijah stepped forward.

“ Paul, Quil go get him. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Now!” the two wolves he had called to jumped off of the porch, phasing before they hit the ground and shooting into the woods. Elodie could hear howls coming from the dark and they sent shivers up her spine.

Melanie was standing in the doorway, looking absolutely stunned.

“ What was that?” She whispered under her breath. To Elodies surprise, the man who had been giving orders stepped forward (She assumed he was Elijah's father). He cleared his throat and everyone looked at him.

“ That was what happens when a wolf imprints. Congratulations Melanie.” Melanie stepped back, looking at him as if he’d just slapped her. Her already pale face went even whiter than usual and her dark green eyes darted to Elodie. Elodie opened her mouth to tell her that everything was gonna be okay, but before she could say anything Melanies’ eyes rolled back in her head and she crumpled to the floor.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I'm Back BABY!!! Woohoo! Super excited for this next installment of the story. I finally feel like we are moving deeper into the storyline. I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter and I promise not to leave you guys wanting as long as last time. Sorry about that! having to work online is a bitch!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, side note. Melanie has turned 15 at this point. just in case you were wondering. She was 14 at the beginning of the story but her birthday has come and gone at this point.

-Bennett-

What was happening to him? His whole body was tingling, on fire. He felt like someone had just shoved adderall down his throat. His mind was racing, a hundred thoughts were shooting through his consciousness faster than he could track, but at the same time he was hyper focused on one thing, that face. It burned in the back of his eyes. The perfect mouth, the creamy white skin, the big, green eyes. His body screamed at him to turn back, to race back to the face that was calling him. But his mind was telling him to run, run far and fast, run until he broke the bond. This was all too much, he couldn't do this.

-Jacob- 

Goddammit! As if this month hadn't had enough drama by now. Jake cracked his knuckles and turned away from the open door, back to the room of wide eyes and warm faces.

“ Okay people! Party’s over, if you don't need to be here, leave. Claire and Rachel can stay and wait for Paul and Quil to come back. Jared, take Kim home.” The man nodded and took his imprints hand, leading her gently towards the door. After all other non-essential personnel had filtered out Jake walked over to where Ness and Elodie were tending to Melanie, who had been carried, unconscious, to the couch. Claire and Rachel had gone out to the porch to wait for their boys. Elodie sat with the younger girl's head in her lap and was brushing her hair back from her face, Elijah stood beside her, his hand on her shoulder. Jacob had to admit, despite his suspicions at first, he’d truly never seen Elijah looking as complete and content as when he was with Elodie. Even with this insane situation raging around them, Elijah and Elodie were still as drawn to each other as ever, Jacob could tell by the way that Elodie leaned into Elijah's hand and the way that his son kept edging closer and closer to her until she was leaning back against him from where she sat on the couch. He could sense the tether connecting their hearts. It was the same one that connected him and Ness. He smiled at Ness, His wife was sitting at Melanie’s feet, her hand resting on the girl's leg. After a long, tense silence, Elodie spoke, looking up at Elijah as she did so as if he had all the answers.

“ What does this mean? I understand what happened, but what comes next?” It was a good question. Elijah sighed and sat down behind Elodie, wrapping an arm around her waist in a half hug.

“ Well, now she has a choice. Once she wakes up we will explain everything to her and she can decide for herself what she feels.” Jake was surprised at Elijah's certainty. In recent months, Jake had been urging Elijah to take Izzies place as second in the pack but Elijah had always refused, not wanting the responsibility or commitment to pack life. Ever since his son had found his imprint though, something had changed in him, it was as if he had been dampened down until he found her, and now that he had, his character had become clearer and stronger, and he’d been able to commit to a path. Elijah had always been a leader at heart, but this past week his presence had commanded attention, he’d taken charge in situations that usually would have been left to Jake. He wasn’t just acting like a leader anymore… he was acting like an alpha.

-Elijah-

Well, this was a fucking disaster. He honestly had no idea how this was going to go down. Elodie crawled into his lap and let Melanie's head rest on the couch cushion. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed into her hair. She smelled so good. He was disappointed in himself at the thoughts that came crashing into his mind along with her scent. There were more important things to be focusing on right now. Her voice shook him out of his daydreaming.

“ What will happen if Melanie doesn't want to be with Bennett in that way? What will happen to him? Will he die?” Elijah tried to hold it in, but her big worried eyes were so cute that he couldn't stop himself. He burst out laughing, his parents chuckled from across the room where they sat together. Elodie blushed and she scowled at him poking him in the chest angrily.

“ What? Stop it! Elijah!” he shook his head and tried to stop laughing but he couldn't. She huffed and tried to get up out of his lap. He pulled her back down and squeezed her tight, finally mastering himself enough to say, 

“ No Baby. He isn't going to die. That’s not exactly how it works.” She rolled her eyes.

“ Well excuse me! Believe it or not, I've never really gotten into the study of lycanthropy so I'm sorry if I'm not an expert.” He chuckled and kissed her on the cheek. 

“ I’m sorry El, I wasn't trying to make you feel stupid. It's just that me and my dad know what it feels like. So it's funny to talk to someone who’s just learning.” when he looked at her face, her dark eyebrows were scrunched together in confusion. He didn't know what he’d said wrong until she asked,

“ What do you mean you know what it feels like?” His heart stopped. He felt like someone had just sucked all the air from his lungs. He started stammering,

“ I-I-I That’s not exactly- I didn't- I don’t really- Umm” Luckily his dad cut in before he had an aneurysm. 

“ I think what Elijah is referring to is the bond that the pack shares, we can all hear each other's thoughts, so he knows what imprinting is like because he has seen other wolves go through it and he knew what it was like for them.” Elijah sighed and nodded his head as earnestly as he could muster. Fuck that was close. Elodie seemed satisfied with that answer.

“ Okay. so enlighten me, what is it like? Will Bennett be okay” Elijah finally found his words again after the shock of that close call had worn off.

“ The thing about imprinting is that it doesn't have to be romance. When a wolf imprints his soul is tied to his imprints. But with that comes a sense of what she needs. For instance, Imprints almost always know what their partner is feeling, sometimes even before they know it themselves. So if Melanie just needs a friend, then that’s what Bennett will be.” Elodie nodded tentatively as if something was still plaguing the back of her mind.

“ And what if Melanie doesn't want him at all? In any capacity? What happens then?” Elijah was about to answer when his mom cut in.

“ I can’t speak for the boys, but in my experience, in any imprint situation, both parties need each other equally, that’s the whole reason for it. Bennett wouldn't have imprinted on Melanie if they weren't a perfect match. I doubt that she will be immune to the pull of the tether. She will inevitably want to be around him, her soul will be pulled towards his. It’s Unavoidable.”

-Bennett-

He was running so fast. He was so distracted by the thought of her that he didn't notice Paul until the russet wolf was slamming into him, sending them both crashing into a tree. Quill was there a second later, shouting at him through the pack bond.

“ Dude! You need to calm the fuck down! Seriously, you need to breathe man!” Bennett's gaze was blurred, he couldn't focus. Everything was heightened in his wolf form and his senses were so overloaded that he was in physical pain. Paul pinned him to the ground and roared in his face. Bennett’s mind cleared enough that he could even out his breath. He growled loudly at Paul and the wolf released him, watching him warily as if preparing to tackle him again if he tried to run. Bennett tried to clear his head but he couldn't. Quil spoke through the bond.

“ You need to phase back Ben. It will clear your mind.” he was right, bennet closed his eyes and let the cooling calm rush through him, shrinking his limbs and shedding his coat. When he was human again he reopened his eyes, Paul and Quil had both shifted back into their human forms. Paul was the first guy to speak.

“ What the hell Ben? What was that? You can’t just take off like that!” Bennett growled at him, the wolf still running through his veins.

“ You think I don't know that? I am fucking aware of the paul! But what was I supposed to do? My life just went to shit and you expect me to be cool with it?” He looked at the two other wolves. They were staring at him like he’d just started speaking in Klingon, before Bennett could ask them what was wrong with their faces, Quill spoke. 

“ Dude what are you talking about? You imprinted. Your life didn't go to shit, it just got a thousand times better!” Ben thought about that for a second. Holy Fuck! He hadn't even thought about it like that. He had been so caught up in the intensity that his body had reacted in fear, so his brain had thought the same thing. Paul laughed and clapped him on the back.

“ Ha! This asshole was so worried he didn't even realize what was happening! Dude you took off so fucking fast. You left your girl passed out on the floor! What a dick!” Quil glared at the older wolf. 

“ Real nice paul! Way to kick the kid while he's down!” Ben wasn't listening anymore.

“ What the hell do you mean ‘passed out’?” Paul chuckled in that sadistic way of his.

“ The girl was so overwhelmed her eyes rolled back in her head and she totally bit it! Fell to the floor like a fucking domino!” Paul was laughing but Bennett didn't care anymore. He turned to Quil

“ I have to go back! You coming?” Quil nodded.

“ Are you kidding me? Of course I am! Otherwise, I’m just gonna be standing naked in the woods with Paul. No fucking thank you!” Bennet couldn't help himself, he snorted with laughter and Paul looked offended. 

“ Well Fuck you too Quill!” Quil casually flipped him off before phasing alongside Bennett. The two wolves took off and Paul wasn't far behind them. Soon Bennett was miles ahead of them. If he’d thought he was going fast before it was nothing compared to his speed now, every atom in his body was screaming at him to go faster, closer to her. She needed him and he had no intention of letting her down. Never again.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPICY! ALERT!  
> need I say more?...

-Bennett-

He skidded to a stop in the grass. His two packmates weren't far behind. The three of them quickly shifted back into their human forms. Bennett sprinted up the stairs, past the two imprints chatting on the swing, and grabbed a pair of shorts from the basket that Mrs. Black always kept out for them. He was to the door with his hand on the handle when he stopped. What if this went badly? What if she didn't want him? What if she was scared of him? Suddenly his stomach became a pit of dread. No matter what went down on the other side of this door, his life was going to change forever. He didn't know if he was ready for that. Ben’s breath started to come faster and his thoughts started to spin around in his head like they'd been doing earlier. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, Paul was standing behind him. The wolf's usual cocky grin had been replaced by something almost, gentle.

“Behind that door is your whole life. Trust me, I thought my life was good before Rachel, but it was empty compared to how happy I am with her. Imprinting is scary as hell, but it can also give you everything you've ever needed. Isn't that worth the risk?” As he spoke, Rachel stood from her place on the couch and ran over to them. She slipped her slender arms around Paul's waist and kissed him on the cheek. When Paul looked down at his Imprint, Bennett noticed the way Paul's eyes shone, and his mouth quirked up in a small smile. No one could make Paul smile except for Rachel. Ben took a deep breath and nodded before turning back to the door and turning the handle. The door swung open to reveal Elodie and Elijah curled up in the corner of the couch, and Jake seated in the big armchair with Ness in his lap. Bennet scanned them all quickly before sliding his eyes to the small figure on the couch. Jesus Christ. He’d seen her before, but he hadn't actually been looking at her, he’d been too focused on the feeling of the bond snapping into place. Now, as he looked at her he couldn't believe he’d ever run from her. She looked like an angel, with her long white-blonde hair splayed across the couch. Her face was like a perfect, porcelain doll, with full lips and long, blonde eyelashes brushing the tops of her rosy cheeks. She looked full of life, nothing like her sister. Bennett could appreciate Elodies beauty but it felt like a detached appreciation, like looking at a picture of someone you didn't know, even if it was a good picture, it didn't really touch your heart. Melanie on the other hand, everything about her called to him, from the soft curve of her hips and the dip of her waist to her small, lovely hands. He felt himself step forward but it was as if he was in a trance, his body was just reacting to the pull from hers. Soon, Ben was kneeling beside where she lay and taking her hand in his own. He thought she would be cold, considering how icy her hair and complexion were, but her hands were warm and soft. He didn't know what to do now. She was unconscious, he could very well introduce himself. Elodie’s soft voice sounded from behind him.

“ Ben, you don’t have to stay. She is asleep now and will probably sleep through the night. You can go home and get some rest.” He thought of his home, his drunk mom crying over her latest break up. Then he looked at Melanie's face. He felt a thousand times more at home sitting next to her than he ever had at his house. 

“ Thank you Elodie, but I think I’m gonna stay here tonight. I just… I don't think I can leave.” Elijah nodded in understanding and he took Elodies' hand. The young couple stood and Bennett heard Elijah say something to Jake about coming back first thing in the morning. Soon, Elijah and Elodie were gone and Jake had headed to bed with Ness. It was just him and Melanie. Perfect. He gently lay his head on the couch next to her, her hand still resting in his. Sooner than he would've thought possible, his eyes felt heavy and his breathing evened out. Hopefully when he woke up things would start looking up. For now, he was happy just to be around her.

\- Elodie -

“ Well, you were right when you said your family isn't boring” Elijah snorted from where he sat in the driver's seat.

“ I’m sorry Babe! I wanted this to be a perfect night and instead, it was stressful as fuck.” She sighed and rested her hand on his thigh as he drove.

“ It’s really fine Elijah. Honestly it made me feel like part of the family in a weird way. Being included in the conversations and everyone being just as worried about my sister as I was. It was a sense of community I haven't ever really felt.” She was happy to see his mouth tilt up in a smile. She was happy whenever he was happy, she just couldn't help it. Even this evening, with all the chaos going on around them, she had been thinking about what he’d promised her on the porch. In fact, she was still thinking about it. Her hand slid up a little bit farther on his thigh and she felt him tense at the deliberate movement, she had to stifle her laugh at how wide his eyes went when she slid her hand even further. She didn't have to feel guilty right? Everyone was fine. Why shouldn't they enjoy what was left of their night? With that thought running through her mind and heat running through her veins she shifted her hand all the way up to run along the zipper of his pants. He inhaled sharply and he started to visibly strain against his jeans. She couldn't believe he was getting this excited about these light touches.

“ Fucking A Elodie! You’re going to make me run us off of the road.” she was now running her hand up and down his length over his jeans.

“ Oh come on Elijah! Use that superior wolf concentration. I believe in you” She snickered and tightened her grip on him. He jerked forward in his seat and groaned under his breath. They pulled into the driveway and before she could jump him he had parked the car and was opening her door for her. She huffed in frustration. “ Not fair Dude! I had a whole plan! Wolf speed is going to your head” he laughed. 

“ Trust me. That is the last thing going through my head.” before she could protest, he was lifting her out of her seat and throwing her over his shoulder and setting off towards the house. She shrieked and couldn't stop laughing, her sides ached by the time he set her down in the hall. 

“ You brute! I should take out a restraining order!” He laughed and kissed her cheek.

“ I’m sorry! To be fair, you did poke the bear… wolf. Bear-wolf? I'm pretty sure that's not a real thing. Anyways, whatever it is, you poked it!” She smiled slyly.

“ Pfft! Lies! I would never. I’m far too mature for such games.” she teased. Elijah rolled his eyes.

“ Yeah right! I don't buy it for a second.” He gave her a crooked smile that warmed her heart.

“ Are you hungry? I know it’s late but I could make some toast or something.” she couldn't believe it. A minute ago she’d been feeling him up in the car and now he was asking her if she wanted toast. He really was a gentleman. It was as annoying as it was endearing. He started towards the kitchen but she grabbed his sleeve.

“ Woah Woah Woah! Hold on there mister. Apparently, I wasn't clear enough in the car.” She pulled his head down to her level and planted a kiss on his lips. “I want something a little bit stronger than toast.” She kissed him again and this time he kissed her back. Hard. He growled into her mouth and excitement shot through her. She’d never been very sexually devious before. She had always been very straight-laced and boring. But when she was with Elijah she wanted to do very… wrong things to him. The feeling both scared and excited her. As they kissed, Elijah's hands slid up her sides until they were wrapped around her waist. He lifted her up easily and she wrapped her legs around him. He turned to walk towards the bedroom but she shook her head and gestured to the nearest wall. Elijah raised his eyebrows.

“ Really?” She nodded enthusiastically and a twisted smile settled across Elijah's lips. She’d never seen him like this. A part of her feared it but a stronger, fiercer part of her knew that whatever he wanted, she wanted it more. She yanked his shoulders and stumbled forward until she was pressed up against the wall. He crushed his lips against her and began a trail of sucking and nipping, down to the neckline of her dress. He reached his hands up to where the dress tied behind her neck and whispered harshly in her ear. “ I’ve wanted to do this since the minute I saw you in this fucking dress.” and with that, he untied the fabric and let it drop to reveal nothing beneath. “Shit Elodie! You’re gonna kill me!” She laughed breathlessly 

“ You’re tough, you can take it.” He grunted in amusement. When she met his eyes she realized he was waiting for her permission. The desperate hunger in his eyes was both the sweetest and the hottest thing she’d ever seen. “ Yes! For God’s sake. Fucking Go!” she urged him impatiently. He sighed in relief and before she knew what was happening his lips were on her, his tongue tracing circles around her breasts. She couldn't hold back the moan that escaped through her lips. After a while, she couldn't take it anymore. She needed to go farther, faster, more. She grabbed his face in her hands, pressed her lips into his and slid down his body until her feet hit the floor, making sure she didn't break contact once. Once she was standing she pulled away from him and turned them so that he was the one pressed against the wall and she was pinning him with her thin arms. She slid her hands up his shirt and pulled it off of him, revealing his perfectly sculpted chest. God, he was so unfairly gorgeous. She kissed her way down his chest and abs, his breath catching in his throat as she did so. She reached the waistline of his jeans and got onto her knees. She looked up at him to find his eyes half-closed, his head pressed back against the wall. She unzipped his pants and his eyes flew open. When he saw her kneeling on the floor he tried to pull her up, even in his sex addled state he made an attempt at restraint.

“ No baby, don't do that! Seriously, let me do something for you instead. I don't need this” He tried to grab her hand but she swatted him away.

“ Don't tell me what I can and can't do! I want this… Unless you don’t want it..?” Some of her old insecurities came slithering back into her mind like a wet blanket putting out a flame. She couldn't look at him and instead opted to bore holes into the floor with her eyes. She couldn't see him but she felt the shift in his movement as he lowered himself down to the floor until he was kneeling across from her on the floor of the hallway. She felt his fingers under her chin as he tilted her head up and forced her eyes to meet his. She couldn't believe that in such a short amount of time, this man had become her sole source of comfort. His deep brown eyes enveloped her like a warm wind, easing her sharp worries and soothing her aching scars. After a second of eye contact he spoke to her in a voice so low and soothing she just wanted to melt into it.

“ I can say this a million times, in a million ways, every day for the rest of my life if I have to. I want you, you are the thing that brings me more joy and light than I’ve ever felt. I want anything that you want. I think about this all the time.” He took a deep breath. “ I was just making sure that you weren't just doing what you thought you were obligated to do. You don't ever have to give more than you get with me, I promise.” She didn't know why, but she started to laugh. God he must’ve thought that she was insane. He was looking at her in total confusion, which only made her laugh harder. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of manic cackles, she managed to squeeze out some words in between gasps for air. 

“ What the fuck is happening to my life? These things don’t actually happen!” She dissolved into another fit of laughter and Elijah started to look genuinely concerned.

“ Elodie… you’re kind of freaking out Honey. What’s going on?” She once again mastered herself. But her manic attitude did not fade away. 

“ In the last week, I went from a dead charity case with nothing to keep her here on God’s green earth. And in a week! One fucking week later I have a family, a house and I'm completely head over heels in love!” She laughed again and shook her head in disbelief as if trying to shake herself out of a dream. A thought occurred to her that brought with it a fresh attack of giggles and snorts. “ Oh my God Elijah! I just had an idea! What if I’m dead?” He looked at her in horror but she didn't notice. She just kept rambling away. “ Seriously! It’s the only explanation! I went to sleep one night and never woke up! This is just my brain’s final attempt to bring me peace. I'm probably flatlining as we speak!” she was about to start laughing again but she caught a glimpse of Elijah’s face and the giddy hysteria died in her throat. Her partner was staring at her with unfiltered hurt and worry in his eyes. Regret clamped down on her heart like a sadist's fist and she struggled for an apology. Elijah saved her from her struggle by speaking first, his voice raw. 

“ That isn’t funny.” He shook his head and looked at the floor. Elodie swallowed and brought her hand up to cup his face. 

“ I know. I’m sorry baby, I wasn’t trying to make light of it. I’ve had time to grow accustomed to my situation so I joke about it and have trouble believing when a good thing comes my way. It was too blunt. I sometimes forget that not everyone I know is quite as comfortable with it.” Elijah met her eyes at that and she was surprised at the anger she found there. Elijah was a lot of things but angry wasn't usually one of them. When he spoke it was almost a growl.

“ Comfortable with it? No I’m not fucking ‘comfortable’ with it! We could’ve been together our entire lives and I would never be comfortable with it! You think that it doesn't plague my mind all the time? My heart feels like it’s being ripped out of my chest with every day that passes! The woman I’m in love with, my entire reason for existing could be taken from me any second! How in the fuck would you suggest that I become ‘Comfortable’ with that Elodie? Because I am fresh out of ideas!” Elodie could feel the tears that welled up in the back of her eyes. They weren't from fear, she didn't think for a second that Elijah would ever lay a hand on her. The tears were brought forth by the brutal honesty and hurt on the beautiful face across from hers. She didn't know what to say, her throat was locked up. So instead of talking she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head against her chest and lacing her hands in his hair. Immediately, he sobbed into her and pulled her into his lap, keeping his head buried against her neck. 

“ Shhh… I’m alright. For the first time in a long time I’m so happy. You make me so happy Elijah. We’re okay, It’s all okay.” She whispered reassurances against his soft hair and held him as tightly as she could.

After a while, Elijah pulled away from her and looked at her. She met his gaze and cupped his face with her hand. He kissed her palm and leaned into her touch. 

“ I’m sorry Elodie. I know none of this is your fault. I didn't mean to blow up at you, you didn't deserve that.” She shook her head at his apology. He was being too understanding, he could never fault her for anything and it wasn’t fair to him.

“ No, I’m sorry. I wasn't even thinking of you when I said all those things. I just never thought I was gonna get to be this happy before I went. Let alone fall in love.” she smiled at the disbelieving look he gave her and nodded in answer to his silent question. “ Yeah. That’s what I said. I love you. Although I’m guessing you already smelled it on me or some crazy shit like that.” Elijah’s laugh rang out through the hallway. He tightened his grip on her waist and kissed her hard on the lips. He whispered into her ear.

“ I love you too. Basket case.” She slapped him and let out a breathless laugh.

“ Shut up! You are asking for it!” he smiled and started to speak but before he could she crushed her lips against his and ran her tongue across the seam of his lips. The emotional roller coaster of the night had left her feeling closer to him than ever. He moaned into her mouth and opened for her, giving her free access to explore his warm mouth. After she had her fill of his lips and tongue she broke away from him. He whined and attempted to pull her back down but she shook her head and scrambled further down his legs. “ Nope! No way buddy! Don’t think that I've forgotten where we left off.” She grinned and pushed on his chest until he was lying flat on his back. He didn't protest this time and she quickly slid herself back down so that she was seated comfortably in between his legs. Throughout all this, he hadn't thought to rezip his pants and she took a moment to appreciate him like this. Sprawled out on the floor, his dark chest muscles shining with a light sheen of sweat, his jeans pulled down around his hips. She still couldn't believe that this Adonis looking fucker was with her by choice but she didn't focus on that. The only thing that mattered was that they were together. No matter what they looked like, or what they were, their souls were perfectly matched, there was no denying that. She smiled, this was a crazy night, and it wasn't over yet.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPICY AGAIN!!!  
> YAY!  
> also a little bit feely.

-Elijah-

He had always considered himself to be a good man. He was respectful and didn't make his decisions with his dick… most of the time. The moment that Elodie's soft, cool hand wrapped around him, however, every thought flew out of his head and his entire focus honed in on her hand twisting up and down. When he felt her warm breath against his skin his head snapped back so hard that he felt the wood crack beneath his skull. He didn't especially care but Elodie stopped immediately and her worried face came into his vision. 

“ Oh My God! Are you okay? That was so loud.” She tried to reach up and cup the back of his head but he caught her hand in his fist as he said through clenched teeth. 

“ I. Appreciate. The concern. But I’m gonna need you to finish the job at hand if you don't want me to burst a blood vessel.” She rolled her eyes.

“ Drama queen.” But to his immense relief, she lowered herself back to his waist, and soon he could once again feel her hands on him. His head rolled to the side on the cool hardwood floor and he closed his eyes tightly. Her hand slid up his torso so that it was splayed across his chest and he gripped it with his own, about as much lucidity as he could manage at this point. 

Elijah had thought that her hands on him felt unimaginable, but the minute that her lips touched his length he could feel his body catch on fire. His eyes flew open and he didn't need a mirror to know that they were glowing gold. Shit. His brain couldn't function. He started to shake with the strain of trying to control himself. 

“ El-” He grunted a noise that somewhat resembled the beginning of her name and she hummed inquisitively, not removing her lips from where they wrapped around him. He shouted in surprise at the sensation of her hum and used his speed to pull her off of him and flip them around so that he was braced over her. She yelped in shock but he was too busy to notice. He took a split second to admire how absolutely beautiful she looked with her dress undone, resting on her hips, her cheeks flushed and her previously immaculate hair splaying out around her head in a wild, dark mane. Elijah used his dominant position to pull off the rest of her dress and chuck it across the room along with her panties, leaving her completely bare before him. He was so close and needed to bring her crashing down with him. He kissed her quickly, (not wanting her to think of him as too much of a brute) before finally sliding home, eliciting a growl from him and a high pitched moan from her. He paused after that first thrust and took a moment to let her adjust and to gather himself. He met her eyes to make sure she was okay and found that she was staring at him, smiling and panting softly. Elijah couldn't believe his luck, to have found someone who was his perfect match in every aspect of life. He leaned in to kiss her more gently than he had been able to before and she met his lips halfway, sighing into it. They stayed like that for a second and he was about to move for a second time when she surprised him and did it for him. One second they were kissing gently and lovingly and the next, he was being flipped over and Elodie was bracing her hands on his chest, riding him slowly. 

“ Fuck! El!” He shouted and gripped her hips, lifting her up and down to match his own rhythm. 

Before long, they were both closing in on the finish line. Every muscle in his body was tensed and her voice had risen several octaves. He started to move faster and her arms gave out, her head resting against his chest as he moved. 

They went together, Elodie's nails leaving scratches along his pecs. Elijah couldn't move. He wanted to carry her to the bed but he no longer felt like he was in control of his limbs. Elodie slowly lifted her head from his sweaty chest. Her eyes were slightly glazed and her hair fell in tangled locks around her face. Elijah wished that he could look at her like this forever, blissed out and lovely. He still couldn't believe that she had told him she was in love with him. Just the thought gave him the strength to reach his hands up and brush the hair out of her face. She smiled exhaustedly and kissed his cheek. He wrapped his big arms around her naked body and pulled her against him so that she was lying flat on top of him, her head on his chest.

“ Well, that was fun.” She snorted and nodded limply. He sighed and squeezed her. “ I want so badly to fall asleep, but something tells me that we are going to be sore in the morning if we spend the rest of the night on the hardwood. She snickered and looked up at him.

“ I'm gonna be sore tomorrow regardless.” He couldn't stop the literal bark of laughter that escaped his throat. 

“ Okay. That’s enough out of you, dork. Let's go.” He started to rise, expecting her to rise along with him. Instead, she groaned and stayed sprawled on the floor. Elijah couldn't lie, looking at his girl laying naked on his floor had him ready to go in an instant. Instead of succumbing to his instinct, he leaned down and gathered her up into his arms. She nestled into his chest and kissed his skin softly. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled slowly. He couldn't get close enough to her. He had noticed over the last week that she was the same way after sex, all she wanted was to touch him and kiss him and whisper to him, it was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen. He walked to the bedroom and closed the door behind them, setting her down gently on the sheets and walking over to the dresser to pull out one of his shirts for her. He heard a soft whine from behind him and turned to see her curled up on his bedsheets, staring at him. He smiled and pulled off his jeans, walking towards her in just his boxers, shirt in hand. 

“ Here silly, put this on.” He tossed her the shirt but she didn't move. He sat down next to her and cocked his head to the side. “ What's wrong babe?” she shook her head and looked down at the shirt. It was at that moment that he noticed the fact that she hadn’t moved since they’d finished. He realized, with crushing guilt, that she must be absolutely exhausted. She could barely make it up a set of stairs. Tonight must've taken everything she’d had. Elodie nodded as she watched it dawn on him. He wanted to slap himself. “ I’m so sorry Baby! I didn’t think. I wasn-” She shook her head adamantly and shifted her weight, slowly lifting her head into his lap. 

“ It’s okay. I loved it. I love you. I just don't have anything left, I can barely stay awake.” Her voice was quiet and lilting. He nodded and smoothed her hair down. After sitting there for a second, he carefully lifted her head out of his lap and knelt on the floor next to the bed. He did his best to keep her comfortable as he slid his shirt over her head and slipped her arms through the sleeves. It would have been amusing to see her wearing his shirt like a dress if she hadn't looked so sick. The flush had drained from her cheeks, leaving them paler than they had been in a long time. He tried to keep his pain from showing in his eyes as she stared at him silently, her eyes huge in her face. Elijah sighed and lifted Elodie up in his arms, pulling the sheets back and setting the skinny girl on her side of the bed. He pulled the sheets up around her and grabbed a blanket from the floor to pull over her. Elijah started to turn towards the door to get her some water but she groaned quietly, he snapped his head back to her to find those giant green eyes fixed on him. Somehow he knew exactly what she wanted even though she hadn't said anything. He nodded and walked to his side of the bed, sliding in next to her and pulling her against his warm, bare chest. She felt bony and fragile in his arms and it broke his heart. It might have been his imagination, but Elijah could’ve sworn that her breathing became deeper and easier. He kissed the top of her head and flipped off the lights, he wouldn't be sleeping that night. Just holding her and listening to every breath, every heartbeat, making sure they stayed steady and strong. He inhaled her scent and pulled her even tighter against his chest. Elijah had thought that Elodie was already asleep, but as he pulled her in closer he felt her finger brush softly against his bicep. Then she whispered so quietly that he was sure no average man would've heard it. 

“ I love you Elijah.” 

Despite his worry and guilt. Elijah couldn't help the warmth that flooded through him at that. It would all be okay, he wouldn't accept anything less than perfect for her. No matter what he had to do in order to achieve it. 


End file.
